SCOTLAND

Defence Procurement: Fife

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the awarding of defence procurement contracts to companies operating in Fife; and if he will make a statement.

Ann McKechin: The awarding of defence procurement contracts are a matter for the Secretary of State for Defence. Contracts are awarded in accordance with public procurement policy.

Banking

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with representatives of banks on the future of banking in Scotland.

Jim Murphy: I am in regular discussion with bank representatives. The Government's Recapitalisation and Asset Protection Scheme will help in stabilising the banking system.

Banking

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues and the Scottish Executive on the state of the banking sector in Scotland.

Jim Murphy: I am in regular discussion with ministerial colleagues and the Scottish Executive. The Scottish banking system is now well placed to combat these difficult times after the significant intervention by this Government to stabilise the market.

Road Bridge: River Forth

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on Government funding for the second road bridge over the River Forth.

Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and I met Scottish Government Ministers on 4 March. We had a very positive and constructive meeting. I convened a successful meeting between the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Scottish Government Finance Ministers to discuss funding of the new Forth river crossing.

Energy Generation

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on support for the generation of energy in Scotland.

Ann McKechin: My right hon. Friend and I hold regular discussions with ministerial colleagues across Government about a wide range of issues.

Businesses

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister on the prospects for businesses in Scotland.

Jim Murphy: Last week I had a constructive meeting with the First Minister, together with the CBI and STUC, where we discussed a range of issues with the aim of providing a coherent Scottish response to the economic downturn.

Business Support

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the support from central Government required by businesses in Scotland during the recession.

Jim Murphy: I maintain a regular dialogue with business leaders in Scotland on the economy to inform my membership of the National Economic Council. Since the start of the year the Government have introduced a range of measures to help increase liquidity and ease credit conditions for business.

Economic Conditions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his most recent assessment is of the state of the Scottish economy.

Jim Murphy: The Scottish economy has not been immune from the global economic difficulties. In response the UK Government delivered a £2 billion fiscal boost as part of the Chancellor's pre-Budget report last year, which is in addition to the continued substantial interventions to support the Scottish banks.

Economic Growth

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister on the level of economic growth in Scotland.

Jim Murphy: I had constructive and helpful talks concerning the Scottish economy with the First Minister last week at a meeting also attended by representatives from CBI Scotland and STUC.

Broadcasting: Conferences

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland where his Department's broadcasting summit scheduled to take place on 19 March 2009 will be held; which  (a) organisations and  (b) individuals have been invited to attend; whether it will be open to the public; what the agenda items are; and who the speakers will be.

Ann McKechin: holding answer 16 March 2009
	The Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will hold a meeting at the Glasgow Science Centre, Pacific Quay, Glasgow, with representatives from various broadcasting organisations, production companies and interested stakeholders, including from STV, BBC Scotland, Channel 4, ITV plc., MG Alba, Ofcom, Scottish Enterprise and relevant trade unions.
	The event is by invitation only. The event will provide an opportunity to help forge a public service broadcasting culture fit for future challenges.

Departmental Absenteeism

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff of his Department were recorded absent for non-medical reasons on  (a) 2 February 2009 and  (b) 3 February 2009; what estimate he has made of the (i) cost to his Department and (ii) number of working hours lost as a result of such absence; and what guidance his Department issued to staff in respect of absence on those days.

Ann McKechin: Information on the number of staff who were absent for non-medical reasons on 2 February 2009 and 3 February 2009 is not available. The Scotland Office, which is part of the Ministry of Justice, does not hold records centrally of non-medical absences.
	General guidance was issued on the day to all managers and staff about the disruption caused by the extreme weather conditions where normal travel arrangements were affected by the weather.

Departmental Lost Property

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what property has been lost or stolen from his Department in the last 12 months; and what the estimated cost was of replacement of such property.

Ann McKechin: No property has been reported as lost or stolen in the last 12 months.

Departmental Postal Services

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what percentage of letters sent by his Department were given to  (a) the Royal Mail and  (b) another postal services provider for delivery in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Ann McKechin: The Royal Mail carried the great majority of letters and parcels sent by the Scotland Office in the last 12 months. A precise breakdown is not available.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Floods: Property Development

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what powers the Environment Agency has to waive restrictions on building in flood risk areas; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Environment Agency has no powers either to restrict or waive restrictions on building in flood risk areas. The Environment Agency is a consultee in the planning process, providing technical advice and information on the flood risk implications of development proposals. The Environment Agency may object to developments that do not comply with Planning Policy Statement 25—Development and Flood Risk, but the final planning decision rests with the local planning authority.

Landfill Tax

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will increase the amount that is given to voluntary organisations from landfill tax receipts.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	Decisions on the value of the Landfill Communities Fund for 2009 and beyond will be taken as part of the Budget process.

National Parks

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department plans to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

Huw Irranca-Davies: holding answer 16 March 2009
	We intend to hold a number of events throughout the year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949—the first of which will take place on 16 March when the Secretary of State will open the Broads Authority's new offices in Norwich.
	The aim of the programme will be to celebrate and to increase awareness of the contribution our protected landscapes and access rights to our national well-being, as well as highlighting how they can contribute to future challenges such as climate change.

Noise and Air Pollution

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what datasets on  (a) noise and  (b) air pollution which contain data by (i) constituency, (ii) local authority area, (iii) county and (iv) region his Department maintains.

Huw Irranca-Davies: On noise, my Department commissioned a national noise incidence study in 1990 which surveyed the environmental noise levels based on 24-hour noise measurements outside 1,000 dwellings in England and Wales. This study was repeated in 2000-01 when DEFRA and the devolved Administrations commissioned an extended survey of 1,020 dwellings and included Scotland and Northern Ireland.
	Other noise pollution datasets held by the Secretary of State are those created to fulfil the first round mapping requirements of Directive 2002/49/EC (Relating to the Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise). The datasets include modelled noise levels from roads and railways in the 23 first round agglomerations (defined as urban areas with populations greater than 250,000 and a certain population density), major roads elsewhere in England with greater than six million vehicle passages per annum; major railways in England with more than 60,000 train passengers annually and major airports with more than 50,000 aircraft movements annually (except for training on light aircraft). In addition, mapping was carried out for some other airports close to first round agglomerations and for larger industrial installations within first round agglomerations.
	The mapping was completed in 2007 and the maps are available on the website:
	www.noisemapping.defra.gov.uk
	The datasets are not currently broken down by constituency, local authority area, county or region.
	On air, data from air pollution monitoring sites, calculated statistics and exceedance statistics relating to Air Quality Strategy objectives and EU Limit Values are available via
	www.airquality.co.uk
	at the following administrative levels:
	Local Authority
	UK Zone
	UK Agglomeration
	Government Region
	Country.
	Data are not currently listed by constituency.
	In addition, maps of air pollution are available individually for each local authority. These are made available at:
	http://www.airquality.co.uk/archive/laqm/tools.php?tool=background06
	Finally, the annual air quality assessments undertaken for the EU air quality directives are reported by zone, which correspond to Government office regions in England if the relevant agglomerations are included back in.

Rodents: Lancashire

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many reports of rodent infestation there have been in Lancashire in each of the last three years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA does not collect statistics on the number of reported infestations of rodents. This information should be available from the local authorities concerned.

WALES

Performing Arts

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department has engaged any  (a) actors,  (b) musicians and  (c) other performers to support its initiatives over the last five years.

Paul Murphy: No.

PRIME MINISTER

Ministers: Pay

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to reclaim redundancy payments made to Ministers leaving the Government if they are subsequently appointed to a ministerial position in the same Parliament.

Gordon Brown: Severance pay is payable in accordance with section 4 of the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Charter Flights

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times private charter companies have been used to transport armed forces personnel to and from operations in each of the last three years; and how much was spent on this in each of those years.

Bob Ainsworth: The information available is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   FY 
			   2007-08  2008-09 
			 Charter flights undertaken 484 531 
			 Charter flights planned n/a 26 
			 Cost (£ million) 34 (1)51 
			 (1) Estimate  Note:  Each flight constitutes a single journey. 
		
	
	Data for 2006-07 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Manpower

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a copy of the latest DASA working patterns survey in the Library.

Bob Ainsworth: Arrangements will be made for a copy of the 2007-08 DASA Working Patterns Survey to be placed in the Library of the House shortly.

Armed Forces: Motor Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RB44 heavy utility trucks are in service; and what their expected out of service date is.

Quentin Davies: There are currently 496 Truck Utility Heavy (TUH) RB44 vehicles in service. The expected out of service date of the TUH fleet is 2012.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department uses WPA2 encryption protocol on all its wireless networks.

Bob Ainsworth: Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HMG. The Security Policy Framework, the Data Handling Report and the National Information Assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures which Departments must adhere to.
	The Department follows CESG guidance on the use of the Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) communications security protocols in order to protect wireless networks carrying protectively marked (up to RESTRICTED/IL3) traffic. The configuration and operation standards for WPA2 are set out in CESG's Infosec Manual Y, Use of WPA2 Wireless Security in Government Systems. The Department is also compliant with HMG 1A Standard No 4—Communication, Security and Cryptography for the encryption of data.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what auditing his Department undertakes to ensure that IT security policies are being followed; and on how many occasions  (a) IT security policies have been breached by employees and  (b) a member of staff has been sanctioned for a breach of such policies in the last 12 months.

Bob Ainsworth: Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HMG. The Security Policy Framework, the Data Handling Report and the National Information Assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures which Departments must adhere to.
	The Department carries out a compliance regime including self assessment, accreditation, assurance reporting, audit and review to ensure that security policies are followed. IT Security Policies are audited across the MOD at all layers of the organisation. Compliance Inspections are conducted at unit level by security and technical survey teams, augmented by assurance and self assessment activities directed by the principal security advisor's teams. The Defence Security Safety Assurance Division undertakes functions that provide strategic assurance on the adequacy, efficacy and implementation of the requisite controls and policies for 'IT Security', in the form of audits, penetration tests, vulnerability analysis testing and from through life IS Accreditation processes. These provide assurance on the status of the Departments IT Security of both in service equipment and that in development. Additionally the Defence Internal Audit has undertaken a variety of IT Security Audits, both themed and pan-MOD.
	Investigations into security incidents are generally dealt with at local unit level and the details of individual breaches of policy by individuals are not recorded centrally; it would not be possible to provide these details without incurring disproportionate cost.
	Depending upon the circumstances, a range of sanctions are available including disciplinary or administrative action, and in extreme or persistent cases, termination of employment/services and, if appropriate, criminal proceedings.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's IT security hierarchy.

Bob Ainsworth: Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HMG. The Security Policy Framework, the Data Handling Report and the National Information Assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures which Departments must adhere to.
	It is not in the interest of the security of the Department, or that of the public, to disclose detailed information pertaining to the Department's security hierarchy. Disclosing such information would enable criminals and those who would attempt to cause disruptive threats to the Department to deduce how to conduct attacks and therefore potentially enhance their capability to carry out such attacks.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what scanning for vulnerabilities his Department conducts of each of its IT devices; what method is used for IT device scans; and how many vulnerabilities have been detected as a result of such scans in the last 12 months.

Bob Ainsworth: Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HMG. The Security Policy Framework, the Data Handling Report and the National Information Assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures which departments must adhere to.
	It is not in the interest of the security of the Department, or that of the public, to disclose detailed information pertaining to electronic breaches of security of department's IT systems. Disclosing such information would enable criminals and those who would attempt to cause disruptive threats to the department to deduce how to conduct attacks and therefore potentially enhance their capability to carry out such attacks.

Departmental Data Protection

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to paragraph 1.43 of the Final Report on Data Handling Procedures in Government, June 2008, whether his Department has initiated a specific review into its handling and management of information since June 2008.

Bob Ainsworth: In response to the Data Handling Procedures in Government and Burton Reviews, the Ministry of Defence has established a dedicated implementation team which has commissioned a range of activities and reviews, including against the emerging Information Assurance Maturity Model, the Department's progress in implementing the recommendations of the reviews.
	A separate, more broadly-based review of the Department's Security and Accreditation framework will report shortly.

Departmental Data Protection

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to paragraph 1.43 of the Final Report on Data Handling Procedures in Government, June 2008, whether his Department has introduced training and awareness programmes for its staff since June 2008.

Bob Ainsworth: Yes. Since June 2008 The Ministry of Defence has significantly enhanced its training and awareness programmes for security and data handling, building on a broader security awareness programme launched in early 2008. The Department has worked closely with the Cabinet Office and other Departments to implement a core Computer Based Training (CBT) package to provide awareness of individuals' responsibilities in handling data, particularly personal data. Data handling training is mandated for all staff, either through the CBT package or, for military staff below the rank of Sergeant/Petty Officer by means either of the CBT or a group briefing.

Departmental Data Protection

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to paragraph 2.11 of the Final Report on Data Handling Procedures in Government, June 2008, whether his Department has implemented the Information Commissioner's recommendation for privacy impact assessments.

Bob Ainsworth: Yes.

Future Large Aircraft

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1723W, on future large aircraft, who is liable under the contract to pay for any costs arising from extra development and deferred delivery dates.

Quentin Davies: Under the terms of the existing fixed price contract the supplier is liable for any costs incurred in delivering the required performance levels specified within the contract.

HMS Victory

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what archaeological and heritage advice the Disposal Services Agency sought before authorisation was given to Odyssey Marine Exploration to return to the site suspected to be that of HMS Victory to recover guns.

Bob Ainsworth: Following initial notification of the possible location of the wreck of HMS Victory, and after consultation within the Department, agreement was given to Odyssey Marine Exploration for the limited recovery of two cannons to facilitate the process of identification. No consultation took place with external archaeological and heritage advisors at this stage but as I made clear in my answer on 11 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1996-97W, we are now consulting with other Government Departments and English Heritage over the claims that have been made by the company.

Met Office

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions Ministers in his Department have had with Treasury Ministers on the future of the Met Office as part of the Government's Trading Fund Review in advance of the 2009 Budget.

Kevan Jones: There have been no recent direct discussions between Defence Ministers and HM Treasury on the future of the Meteorological Office.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 1892-3W, on departmental surveys, if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of the most recent staff survey undertaken by his Department.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The last staff survey for DCMS took place in 2007 and the results published on the DCMS website. I will place a copy in the Library.

Swimming

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what research was undertaken in respect of establishing county swimming co-ordinators as referred to in his Department's publication, Be Active, Be Healthy: a plan for getting the nation moving;
	(2)  what mechanisms are in place for county swimming co-ordinators to report their progress in the promotion of swimming in every local area to his Department as set out in his Department's publication, Be Active, Be Healthy: a plan for getting the nation moving; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what role he envisages for the county swimming co-ordinators referred to in his Department's publication, Be Active, Be Healthy: a plan for getting the nation moving.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	Learning from the Sport England funded Everyday Swim pilots have informed the development of the county swimming co-ordinator package. The county swimming co-ordinators will work closely with County Sport and Physical Activity Partnerships and will be managed through existing reporting and line management mechanisms within the Amateur Swimming Association and will feed into existing cross-government free swimming governance arrangements.
	County swimming co-ordinators will offer expert advice and support to local authorities and pool operators helping them to make the most of the Government investment, including increasing and sustaining participation and helping them to deliver in deprived areas and reaching vulnerable groups.
	A robust monitoring and evaluation process will be commissioned to support the implementation of this larger scale national pilot.

Television: Advertising

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the potential size of the UK product placement market.

Andy Burnham: In December 2005 Ofcom, the regulator for the broadcasting sector, estimated that the potential revenue from product placement could be worth £25 million to £35 million per annum after five years.
	A number of respondents to the consultation on the UK implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, conducted between July and October 2008, agreed with the Ofcom estimate. Other respondents put forward far higher estimates of the potential value of product placement. One broadcaster thought the potential value was greatly overstated. The variation in the estimates made by respondents to the consultation indicates that there is a lack of clear evidence about the potential value of product placement and that there is no consensus on the potential size of the UK product placement market.

Television: Advertising

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received as part of the consultation on the implementation in the UK of the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive.

Andy Burnham: My Department conducted a three month public consultation on the UK implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive between July and October 2008. 59 responses were received. A list of the responses, together with a summary report of the consultation report, are available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/591l.aspx

Television: Advertising

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of  (a) the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive and  (b) the joint industry code in protecting television viewers from product placements;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the effect of restrictions on product placement on producers and commercial broadcasters.

Andy Burnham: We set out our initial assessment of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS) in the preliminary impact assessments published with our consultation issued on 31 July 2008. This is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/5309.aspx
	Updated impact assessments will be published later this year, when the Regulations to implement the AVMS Directive are introduced into Parliament.
	The Government appreciate the efforts which ITV, PACT and others have made to devise a code of conduct which would mitigate the adverse effects of product placement in UK TV programming were it to be permitted. We have, nevertheless, concluded that there is no firm evidence that the economic benefit of introducing product placement would outweigh the detrimental impact it would have on the quality and standards of British television and viewers' trust in it.
	UK broadcasting regulation has never permitted product placement in television programmes made by and for UK television broadcasters. The Government's recent statement on the implementation of AVMS confirms that this will remain the case.

Television: Advertising

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the effects of Ofcom's broadcasting code in respect of product placement on television programmes acquired from the US.

Andy Burnham: Section 10 of the code includes rules governing the inclusion of products and services in television programmes. It prohibits television product placement in general, but excludes from that prohibition the inclusion of products and services in a programme acquired from outside the UK and in films made for cinema provided that no broadcaster regulated by Ofcom and involved in the broadcast of that programme or film directly benefits from the arrangement. It also requires that no undue prominence may be given to a product or service.
	UK commercial television broadcasting has always operated under rules of this kind. The rules have ensured that product placement in television programming acquired from the United States is not unduly prominent.

Television: Advertising

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on the regulation of product placement in respect of television programmes made in the UK.

Andy Burnham: Discussions on the regulation of product placement in television programmes made in the UK, as part of the current work on the UK implementation of the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive, are an important part of my Department's work with Ofcom. These discussions will continue.

Television: Advertising

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect on the independent production sector of the decision to restrict product placement.

Andy Burnham: We set out our initial assessment of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS) in the preliminary impact assessments published with our consultation issued on 31 July 2008. This is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/5309.aspx
	The impact assessment included an evaluation of the legislative options for product placement. Updated impact assessments will be published later this year, when the regulations to implement the AVMS Directive are introduced into Parliament.
	The Government have decided to maintain the UK's existing approach to product placement in television programmes, in so far as the directive allows. UK producers will be able to continue operating as they currently do.

Television: Advertising

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures  (a) are in place and  (b) he intends to introduce to reduce product placement in programmes and films shown on television in line with the requirements of the Audiovisual and Media Services Directive.

Andy Burnham: Section 10 of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code includes rules governing the inclusion of products and services in television programmes. It prohibits television product placement in general, but excludes from that prohibition the inclusion of products and services in a programme acquired from outside the UK and in films made for cinema, provided that no broadcaster regulated by Ofcom and involved in the broadcast of that programme or film directly benefits from the arrangement. It also requires that no undue prominence may be given to a product or service.
	The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS) requires member states to implement a general prohibition on product placement. They may however decide to permit product placement in feature films, TV films and series, sports and light entertainment programmes, but not in programmes made for children.
	The Government have decided to maintain the UK's existing approach to product placement in television programmes, in so far as the directive allows. It will be for Ofcom to decide how to amend their code in order to ensure that is in accordance with the directive.
	We plan to review the position on television product placement in 2011-12.

Television: Advertising

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what evidence he has evaluated on  (a) effects on viewer confidence in UK-originated programming and  (b) effects on viewers of product placement in UK-originated film and television content.

Andy Burnham: We set out our initial assessment of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS) in the preliminary impact assessments, published with our three month consultation, issued on 31 July 2008. This is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/5309.aspx
	Updated impact assessments will be published later this year, when the regulations to implement the AVMS Directive are introduced into Parliament.
	A list of the responses to the consultation, together with a summary report of the consultation report, are available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/5911.aspx
	 (a) Consumer and viewer groups argued that allowing product placement in television programmes would bring about a blurring of the distinction between advertising and editorial content in television programmes and that this would undermine the trust viewers have in the integrity of UK-made programming.
	 (b) Programme makers, commercial broadcasters and advertisers argued that rules ensuring that products are not unduly prominent in programmes would make sure that product placement did not detract from viewers' enjoyment.
	The differing views put forward by respondents to the consultation indicate that there is no consensus on the potential effects of product placement on viewers.

Young People: Antisocial Behaviour

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of  (a) the effects of community sport and cultural activities funded by his Department on young people at risk of committing antisocial behaviour and  (b) the effectiveness of such activities in West Lancashire constituency in meeting their objectives.

Andy Burnham: DCMS supports a wide range of programmes that offer young people most at risk of committing antisocial behaviour the opportunity to participate in sport and culture. These include the Kickz programme, street games, and the Department's Youth Mentoring programme for media, music and sport.
	All these schemes are evaluated in accordance with agreed performance indicators designed to capture impact on target groups.
	We have not undertaken an assessment of the effect of such programmes specifically in West Lancashire.

TRANSPORT

Airports: Security

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential health implications of the use of advanced backscatter x-rays and millimetre wave technology in body scanners at airports.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport has been engaging with a European Commission Working Group looking at the impact of body scanners in aviation security and addressing a number of issues including human health. Findings are expected in the next few months.
	There are currently no operationally deployed body scanners in UK airports.

Airports: Security

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to allow travellers at airports who do not wish to be subject to a body scanner using advanced backscatter x-rays and millimetre wave techology to opt instead for a manual pat-down search.

Jim Fitzpatrick: No body scanner trials are currently ongoing at UK airports.
	Passenger privacy is very important to the Government. If we were to consider any further tests of body scanner technologies, measures would be put into place to ensure protection of passenger privacy.

Bus Services: Concessions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated deficit in funding of local councils is in respect of the concessionary fare for bus travel scheme in the East Midlands.

Paul Clark: The East Midlands region spent £45 million on concessionary travel in 2007-08. The region will receive an extra £14 million in special grant in 2008-09 (in addition to formula grant funding) to cover the cost of the new concession—representing an increase in funding of 31 per cent.
	The Government are confident that the extra funding is sufficient to meet the total cost to local authorities, as it is based on generous assumptions around fares, pass take-up, extra journeys and additional costs.
	The bulk of the funding for concessionary travel remains within the overall local government finance settlement and is not separately identified. It is not therefore possible to identify the totality of funding for the current concession in the East Midlands.

Departmental Civil Service Agencies

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how frequently his Department's executive agencies are required to discuss their accounting procedures with the Department's accounting officer.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 17 March 2009
	Each executive agency has its own accounting officer, the agency chief executive, who is appointed by the Department's accounting officer. It is the agency's accounting officer that is required to sign the agency's annual accounts. In signing the annual accounts the agency's accounting officer is confirming that the executive agency's accounts, which include accounting policies, have been produced in accordance with Treasury's Financial Reporting Manual (FReM).

Departmental Civil Service Agencies

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements are in place for oversight of the  (a) accounts and  (b) expenditure of his Department's executive agencies.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 17 March 2009
	The oversight role for an executive agency's annual accounts is embedded in the role of that executive agency's accounting officer who is appointed by the Department's accounting officer.
	Executive agencies submit financial information, covering expenditure, on a monthly basis to the Department for Transport.

Departmental Publications

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons publication of the annual report entitled The Allocation of Road Track Costs was discontinued after 1996-97.

Paul Clark: The Allocation of Road Track Costs report was discontinued because the costs of vehicles using the road extended beyond the costs that were included in the report. For example, the report took account of the cash costs of capital expenditure on construction, and of current expenditure on maintenance, but made no allowance for a return on capital.

Fuels: Storage

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent consideration his Department has given to the safe storage and transportation of fuels around the Scottish Highlands and Islands, under the renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO); whether his Department has received any representations expressing concerns about the applicability of the RTFO to the Highlands and Islands; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) requires suppliers of fossil fuel to ensure a proportion of the fuel they supply is renewable. UK suppliers are mostly using biodiesel to meet their obligation and some smaller quantities of bioethanol. There will be distribution difficulties transporting bioethanol from the refinery at Grangemouth to remote areas such as the Highlands and Islands as these areas are currently supplied with fossil petrol by ship. However, shipping is not suitable for transporting petrol blended with bioethanol due to its water attracting properties. This issue has not resulted in an immediate risk of petrol supply but in the future it is possible that bioethanol will need to be transported from Grangemouth to these regions.
	In response to last year's consultation about future obligation levels under the RTFO the Department for Transport received a number of representations from: the Highlands and Islands Council; The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) and the fuel supplier Ineos. All raised concerns about the practicality and cost implications of distributing and storing bioethanol to these regions. The Department for Transport and the Scottish Executive are considering possible solutions. We shall examine how a future consultation on the implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive and an impact assessment might consider this issue and possible options to overcome these problems. As part of this process we shall continue to engage with those organisations that have raised concerns.

Great Western Railway: Rolling Stock

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Statement of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1531-3W, when he expects the Intercity Express Programme trains he announced to be operating on the Great Western line.

Paul Clark: Intercity Express Programme trains will begin operation on the Great Western Main Line from 2016 onwards.

Heathrow Airport: Air Pollution

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what datasets on  (a) noise and  (b) air pollution his Department has drawn upon to support its work on the Adding Capacity at Heathrow consultation.

Jim Fitzpatrick: As explained in annex C to the November 2007 consultation document, the Heathrow work was underpinned by forecasts of air passengers up to 2030 by BAA, benchmarked against the Department's own air traffic and fleet forecasts to quality assure them. The supporting technical reports explained how these forecasts translate into noise impacts and emissions. Road traffic modelling drew on a variety of data sources including the Highways Agency and Transport for London, as described in the technical report on surface access. All these reports are still available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/archive/2008/heathrowconsultation/technicalreports/

Heathrow Airport: Public Consultation

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent  (a) on external consultants and  (b) in total on the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport consultation.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department paid external consultants £1,155,536.43 for their input to the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport consultation and the related Equalities impact assessment consultation. The overall cost of both consultations (not including staff costs) was £3,119,921.44.

High Speed Two: Finance

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department has allocated to High Speed Two Ltd in each of the next five years.

Paul Clark: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of Monday 16 March 2009,  Official Report, column 816W.

Intercity Express Programme

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his statement on 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1531-33 on new trains (investment), whether his assessment that the successful bid was substantially compliant with specifications included an assessment of compliance with specifications on train weight.

Paul Clark: The bid by Agility Trains, Preferred Bidder for the Intercity Express Programme, was substantially compliant with the specifications set out in the Train Technical Specification.

Intercity Express Programme

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria relating to weight specifications were applied in the assessment of bids under the procurement process for the Intercity Express programme from  (a) Bombardier and  (b) Agility Trains and Hitachi.

Paul Clark: This information is contained in the Invitation To Tender document, and is available on the Department for Transport website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/iep/iepinvitationtotender/.

Lorries: Testing

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received requesting annual testing for heavy goods vehicles to be made available outside normal business hours.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) has received inquiries from representative trade bodies to make testing of HGV's available outside normal working hours. VOSA now routinely conduct testing outside of normal working hours at many locations were there is demand, this demand does vary both from customer to customer and geographically. Recently VOSA has carried out research with its customers to better understand the different requirements customers may have for testing outside of normal working hours.

Lorries: Testing

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons annual testing for heavy goods vehicles is not available outside normal business hours.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The testing of heavy goods vehicles (HGV's) outside of normal business hours is and has been routinely available for some years now at a number of stations. As an example, in the period April 2008 to February 2009 the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) conducted 21,837(1) HGV tests out of normal core business hours. This equates to approx. 19,300 hours of testing conducted out of hours. Testing outside of normal business hours is not routinely available at all sites due to a number of reasons including demand, resources and restrictions on opening hours due to the location of some testing stations. The demand for testing out of normal hours is in turn seasonal, geographical and varies by customer.
	(1) This figure includes 3,675 re-tests.

Ports: Milford Haven

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what representations he has received on the trust port status of the Port of Milford Haven;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the benefit to the public of the Port of Milford Haven being a Trust Port;
	(3)  what his policy is on the status as a Trust Port of the Port of Milford Haven; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Our policy towards trust ports in England and Wales is set out in the Department's guidance document "Modernising Trust Ports - A Guide to Good Governance". A revised version of this guidance, on which the Department is currently inviting views, is available on our website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/trust/
	The policy recognises the validity of the trust port model, while strongly encouraging trust ports to analyse their corporate structure and keep it under review, with a view to identifying opportunities to enhance their efficiency and get value from their assets.
	We expect the major trust ports, including Milford Haven, to have reported to us within the next 12 months on their analysis of structural change and their intended course of action.
	We have received no specific representations about the status of Milford Haven as a trust port nor undertaken any analysis of its benefit to the public in the area.

Railways: Consultants

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultants his Department has engaged to work on the Intercity Express Programme; and how much each has been paid to date.

Paul Clark: The following consultants, technical, legal and financial Advisers have been engaged to provide expert advice and services to the Intercity Express Programme from 2005 to end January 2009:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 Mott MacDonald (Programme Management, Technical) 5.307 
			 Steer Davis Gleave (Business Case, Economic Advice) 3.333 
			 The Nichols Group (Procurement) 1.175 
			 Capita (Procurement) 0.240 
			 Ernst and Young (Financial Advice) 0.160 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers (Financial Advice) 1.870 
			 Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (Legal) 2.595 
			 Train Operating Companies 0.265 
			 Total 14.945 
		
	
	These costs should be considered in the context of the total contract value of £7.5 billion.

Railways: Franchises

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contingency preparations his Department has made in the event of a rail franchisee defaulting on a franchise.

Paul Clark: Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993 (as amended by the Transport Act 2005) places a duty on the Secretary of State to ensure passenger services are maintained in the event of franchise failure.
	To deliver that requirement, the Department for Transport has contingency plans in place in the event of a franchisee defaulting on a franchise. These plans are aimed at ensuring that passenger services are maintained and are regularly reviewed.

Railways: Manpower

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the jobs he estimates will be safeguarded or created as a result of his announcement on the Intercity Express Programme and Stansted Express on 12 February 2009 will be in Derby.

Paul Clark: There will be significant investment at a number of UK facilities in relation to the Intercity Express Programme. None of these facilities are currently proposed at Derby itself. However, the East Midlands is being considered for the new assembly plant.
	It is not yet possible to confirm figures for the jobs safeguarded or created in relation to the new Stansted Express fleet until the procurement process has been concluded, as commercial negotiations are ongoing at this time.

Road Traffic Offences: Fines

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether revenue generated from  (a) fines imposed for speeding detected by speed cameras and  (b) other motoring offences is hypothecated.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Until 31 March 2007 safety camera partnerships were allowed to hypothecate their costs from fixed penalties arising from offences detected at approved sites within the national safety camera programme. All surplus was passed to the Consolidated Fund. Since 1 April 2007 all fine revenue from speeding offences has gone to the Consolidated Fund, safety camera enforcement costs have been absorbed into wider road safety partnerships, and the Government have provided additional funding of £110 million per year for three years which is available for all road safety purposes. Fines from other motoring offences have always passed to the Consolidated Fund.

Rolling Stock

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1612W, on rolling stock, when the remaining 227 carriages will be ordered; and to which operators they will be allocated. [Official Report, 5 May 2009, Vol. 492, c. 2MC.]

Paul Clark: The remaining 227 carriages for High Level Output Specification (HLOS) capacity are made up of the growth element of the Thameslink build which is due to be ordered in 2009-10, and is identified in the  Official Report, column 1612W.

Rolling Stock

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1612W, on rolling stock, how many of the 202 GoCo vehicles will be ordered by  (a) First Great Western,  (b) Trans Pennine Express and (c) Northern Rail.

Paul Clark: The intention is that the 202 diesel multiple unit vehicles will be ordered by Diesel Trains Limited. The Department for Transport is currently engaged in a series of commercially confidential negotiations with the relevant train operating companies, on the basis of which a final decision on the exact allocation of the 202 vehicles between train operating companies will be made.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department assessed Bombardier's bid under the Intercity Express Programme contract to be substantially compliant with the specifications set by his Department.

Paul Clark: Both bids, from Agility Trains and from Express Rail Alliance (which includes Bombardier) were of a very high quality and were deemed substantially compliant.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received representations on reconciling the 362 tonne train weight specification with the other performance requirements specified by his Department for the new Intercity Express Programme trains.

Paul Clark: Yes. The bid evaluation assesses the optimum whole life best value for money across a number of important parameters. Weight affects both energy efficiency and track wear and these two key parameters were fully assessed.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Agility Trains/Hitachi bid proposal is for the weight of each train in the Intercity Express Programme.

Paul Clark: The current IC 225 train (existing intercity train) is 498 tonnes. In comparison, the current proposed weights of the Intercity Express Programme trains are:
	
		
			   Tonnes  Lighter by: (percentage) 
			 10 car electric train 412 17 
			 10 car self-power train 438 12 
			 10 car bi-mode train 428 14 
		
	
	In terms of weight per seat, the improvement is much greater as the new trains will seat many more people (with the same seat spacing).

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect the inclusion of dual function diesel and electric trains has had on the estimated cost of the Intercity Express Programme.

Paul Clark: The operation of dual function diesel and electric trains is less expensive and more environmentally friendly than operating under diesel traction for the whole of the route, and is more cost effective than further electrification of key, but lightly trafficked lines. The inclusion of the dual function bi-mode train has therefore reduced the costs and, as journey times are faster, improved the benefits of the Intercity Express Programme, relative to the alternatives.

Speed Limits: Cameras

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance issued by his Department to safety camera partnerships on the location and evaluation of effectiveness of speed cameras.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers) on 17 March 2009,  Official Report, column 995W.

Speed Limits: Rural Areas

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the effect of lowering the speed limit on rural roads to 50 miles per hour on the number of  (a) accidents and  (b) deaths each year.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We expect to consult shortly on a new road safety strategy. When we publish the consultation document, we will also publish research on the potential impacts of a variety of options for improving road safety, including for rural single carriageways.

XL Leisure Group: Compensation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) individuals and  (b) companies have (i) claimed against the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing scheme for their costs and (ii) received compensation following the collapse of XL Airlines.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) Scheme is run by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The XL Leisure Group collapsed on 12 September 2008. Passengers affected who were on ATOL protected holidays at the time were able to complete their holiday broadly as planned and return to the UK at no additional cost.
	As at 6 March 2009, the CAA has received 56,215 claims against the ATOL Scheme from individuals who had advance bookings with XL Leisure Group tour operators at the time of the collapse.
	Also as at 6 March 2009, the CAA has processed and settled 15,000 claims with payments totalling over £15 million being made to individual claimants, and 41,000 are under consideration or requiring further information from claimants or travel agents.
	The CAA classifies all claims to be from individual consumers and therefore the numbers provided above cover both claims received from individuals directly and those through travel agents in respect of individuals.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken to combat anti-Semitism since January 2009; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: A range of work is ongoing to reduce hate crime including anti-Semitic crimes. In February 2009, a ministerial seminar agreed an action plan on tackling hate crime on the internet. I have become the cross-government champion for this work on reducing incitement on the internet. Moving forward, tackling anti-Semitic attacks forms part of the work in the development of the cross-government Hate Crime Strategy.

Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy to allow the separate identification of offences committed against the Jewish community under  (a) the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 and  (b) section 18 of the Public Order Act 1986; what recent representations she has received supporting separate identification; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: From April 2009, the Annual Police Community Safety figures will add five data requirements on hate crime. These figures will enable us to identify the number of hate crimes reported due to an individual being targeted because of their race or religion. The Home Office is currently considering the potential for further subcategories within these broader categories.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Young People

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many individual support orders were issued in 2007; and what proportion of all anti-social behaviour orders issued to 10 to 17 year olds individual support orders represented in that year;
	(2)  how many intervention orders were issued in 2007; and what proportion this represented of all antisocial behaviour orders issued in that year.

Alan Campbell: Individual support orders (ISOs) became available from 1 May 2004. Data on the number of ISOs issued to 10-17 year-olds are currently available up to 31 December 2006 only. 2 per cent. ISOs were attached to antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) in 2004, 7 per cent. in 2005 and 18 per cent. in 2006. Data for 2007 are expected to be available shortly.
	Intervention orders became available in October 2006. The Office for Criminal Justice Reform started collecting data on the number of intervention orders from 1 October 2007. Data for 2007 are due to be published shortly.

Appropriate Adults

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, column 2210W, on police custody: young people, what mechanisms her Department has in place for the review of the way in which the use of an appropriate adult to attend police questioning of minors operates; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 24 February 2009,  Official Report, column 671W, on appropriate adults, when she expects to  (a) make decisions on and  (b) implement changes to the role, training and use of appropriate adults following the public consultation launched in August 2008; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Review of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 was published in August 2008 as a public consultation document and contained proposals on the role, training and use of appropriate adults. We intend to publish the summary of responses to the consultation paper in April 2009 and to publish final proposals in respect of appropriate adults by summer 2009.

Asylum: Zimbabwe

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will expedite assessment of the asylum claims of all Zimbabwean asylum seekers in the light of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal's November 2008 country guidance determination on Zimbabwe.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 12 February 2009
	In November, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal refined what they believe are the current risk factors that must be considered for a Zimbabwean asylum claim. We have accepted their findings. We have issued new guidance to our case-owners and also made that guidance publicly available. We will keep the situation under review as the situation in Zimbabwe develops and we will update that guidance when appropriate.
	The UK Border Agency will examine all outstanding Zimbabwean asylum claims on their individual merits, as soon as possible, applying the current test as set out in our guidance. This has already begun. We have dedicated significant resources to clearing backlogged cases. We will consider cases in line with published policy on prioritising cases which is on our website at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/asylum/oldercases/whichcases/

British Crime Survey

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 19 November 2008,  Official Report, column 575W, on the British Crime Survey, when volume 2 of the 2007-08 technical report will be published.

Jacqui Smith: The 2007-08 British Crime Survey Technical Report Volume 2 is publicly available and can be found on the following webpage of the UK Data Archive website at:
	http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/findingData/snDescription.asp?sn=6066

Cannabis: Crime Prevention

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether additional funding has been made available to support the policing of illegal cannabis production and use since the drug was reclassified; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 13 March 2009
	 The Government announced the decision to reclassify cannabis to a class B drug in May 2008. Following this announcement the Government have provided funding for a series of measures to work with police and enforcement agencies to support the policing of illegal cannabis production and use. These measures include working jointly with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) on a UK Baseline Assessment; a National Problem Profile of commercial cannabis cultivation for the first time; the appointment of a national cannabis co-ordinator and the funding of NPIA practice guidance on tackling commercial cannabis cultivation and head shops.

Community Policing: Young People

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken to promote closer working and engagement between safer neighbourhood and community police teams with young people.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office has supported the rollout of Neighbourhood Policing teams to every community in England and Wales. For neighbourhood policing teams an essential element of developing partnerships with their local communities is to consider how to engage effectively with young people. For example, each borough in Surrey has a youth intervention team that engages with young people in schools and the wider community, while Essex police make use of the county council's youth buses to engage with hard to reach communities. We also recently published our Youth Crime Action Plan (YCAP) which highlights the need to improve the communication and relationships between young people and the police.

Crime Prevention

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which business improvement districts have crime prevention as part of their funded strategy.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 16 March 2009
	 Town centre management schemes and business improvement districts are locally funded approaches that primarily aim to improve the trading environment and image of defined areas. Information is not collected centrally on the performance of these schemes.

Crime Prevention: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from  (a) Enfield North constituency and  (b) the London Borough of Enfield have attended the community crime fighters one day training course; and how many she expects to have done so by the end of 2009.

Alan Campbell: One-day Community Crime Fighter training events have been held across England and in Wales. Over 1,000 people have so far attended these events. 3,600 people will be trained by the end of 2009.
	Analysis of the postcodes of people attending indicates that no one from Enfield North constituency or the London borough of Enfield has yet attended the community crime fighters one day training.

Crime: Statistics

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many offences classified in the Home Office Counting Rules as 8/32 (breach of an anti-social behaviour order) have been recorded by police in each year since 1 April 2005;
	(2)  how many offences classified in the Home Office Counting Rules as  (a) 66/8 (breach of a sexual offences prevention order),  (b) 66/17 (offences relating to notification),  (c) 66/19 (breach of risk of a sexual harm order) and  (d) breach of a foreign travel order have been recorded by police in each year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The offences listed within both questions are all recorded under Home Office classification 66 'Other offences against the State and Public Order' as stated within the Home Office Counting Rules for recorded crime.
	Figures for these sub-classifications cannot be separately identified from other offences within classification 66.

Crime: Young People

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of criminal activity attributable to persons under the age of 16 years as  (a) victim and  (b) perpetrator.

Alan Campbell: The Government are committed to driving down youth crime and keeping the communities, including young people themselves, safer and reducing youth victimisation.
	We do not have a recent estimate of the proportion of criminal activity for which those aged under 16 were perpetrators or victims. The most recent available (2007) figures for proven offending only (offences resulting in a caution or conviction) show that young people (aged 10 to 17) accounted for 24 per cent. of caution and convictions for indictable offences.
	Following a recommendation of the independent Smith review of the Home Office crime statistics, the British Crime Survey has been extended to cover under-16s since January 2009. This will assist in providing a clearer understanding of youth victimisation. We know that young people are more likely to be victims of other young people, and we are committed to driving down levels of youth victimisation. Through the implementation of the Youth Crime Action Plan, we will introduce a new national objective to substantially reduce the number of young victims by 2020.

Departmental Research

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many articles in independently peer-reviewed journals have been published by research staff in her Department acting in their official capacity in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 3 March 2009
	Research and Analysis staff in the Department occasionally write articles in peer reviewed journals in an official capacity on a range of scientific research topics or to inform wider public debate on research issues relating to the Department's wider objectives. There is no centrally held information on the number of such articles published although a search of local records has indicated that 40 articles have been published in independently peer reviewed Journals by Research and Analysis staff working in an official capacity since 2004.

Drugs: Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 150W, on drugs: crime, what categories of incidents would be recorded as those where drugs represented a characteristic or motivating factor.

Jacqui Smith: Incidents recorded as having a characteristic or motivating factor linked to drugs will be those that have been identified in accordance with the definition for the Drugs incident qualifier, as set out in the National Standard for Incident Recording (NSIR).
	Such incidents will be those recorded where, after appropriate investigation and on the balance of probabilities, a notifiable crime has not occurred.
	The qualifier definition for such incidents, as set out within NSIR and applicable from April 2009, is as follows:
	Reports where the incident contains any reference to the behaviour or wellbeing of any person being affected by the consumption of drugs, whether legal or illegal;
	Reports of the misuse, possession or creation of classified substances and/or paraphernalia reasonably assumed to be associated with such substances.
	The qualifier guidance also includes examples as to the circumstances when this qualifier should be applied.

Drugs: Crime

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what recent assessment she has made of the links between dependency on illegal drugs and retail crime;
	(2)  what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of retail crime committed to fund illegal drug use;
	(3)  what her most recent estimate is of the proportion of  (a) people arrested for retail crime who are illegal drug users and  (b) retail crime committed in order to fund illegal drug use.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 13 March 2009
	There is evidence which points to a relationship between acquisitive crimes and drug misuse, although that relationship can be complex.
	The Department has commissioned a number of studies which provide information on the relationship between theft and other acquisitive crime and drug use. In addition, monitoring data from the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) are routinely collated.
	These data sources provide some information on the links between drug dependency and crime and the proportions of arrestees who use drugs. We have no published estimates of the share of total retail crime committed to fund drug use, although these sources do provide some indication.
	The most recent assessment of the link between dependency on drugs and crime is the Arrestee Survey 05/06 which provides information on arrestees' self-reported offending while using drugs, and reported crimes committed in order to buy/get hold of drugs. This survey also provides the best available estimate of the proportion of people arrested for theft in general who are drug users. For example, of arrestees who reported taking heroin and/or crack cocaine (HC) at least once a week, 54 per cent. reported shoplifting in the four weeks prior to arrest compared to 10 per cent. for those arrestees who did not take HC at least once per week.
	81 per cent. of arrestees who used heroin and/or crack cocaine (HC) on at least a weekly basis reported committing acquisitive crimes in the 12 months prior to arrest, in comparison to 30 per cent. of those arrestees who did not take HC weekly. (Source: Table 5.4 Home Office Statistical Bulletin 12/07)
	http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb1207.pdf
	Data from the Drug Intervention Programme also provide information on the number of positive drug tests (heroin and crack/cocaine) in 106 basic command units (BCUs) for those arrested and/or charged with a number of trigger offences, including theft.
	There are no data on the proportion of retail crime committed to fund drug use, although estimates of the social and economic, CJS and victim costs are provided in Home Office Online report 16/06
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/rdsolr1606.pdf
	for shoplifting and robbery (commercial and personal robbery are combined in one category) and other crime categories.
	Additional sources of data include:
	The Drug Treatment Outcomes Research Study—a representative study of drug treatment-seekers in England and Wales. The findings from this survey provide information on the number of treatment-seekers who had committed offences prior to interview, the number committing offences in order to buy drugs, and the numbers committing offences while under the influence of drugs. Around two-fifths (39 per cent.) of drug treatment seekers reported committing an acquisitive crime in the four weeks prior to interview. This figure rose in the case of heroin and crack cocaine users, with 55 per cent. reporting that they committed an acquisitive crime in the four weeks before interview. (Source: Home Office Research Report 3)
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/horr03c.pdf
	The Offending Crime and Justice Survey—a survey of offending among young people in the general population, asks whether offenders who had committed 'other thefts' (including retail but not limited to) had taken alcohol or drugs at the time of the offence
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1706.pdf

Drugs: Crime

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the cost to retailers of drug-related retail crime.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 13 March 2009
	The most recent estimates made by the Department of the costs of drug-related retail crime provide figures for the victim costs of shoplifting as well as robbery associated with class A drug use (note that robbery covers both commercial and personal robbery). Estimates are also provided for the total social and economic costs of these crimes associated with class A drug use.
	Recent estimates suggest that shoplifting accounts for 12 per cent. of the total social and economic costs of class A drug use. Victim costs for shoplifting are made up of the value of the property stolen and were estimated at £1,533 million in 2003-04.
	Robbery is estimated to account for 16 per cent. of total social and economic costs of class A drug use (although note that this does not distinguish between personal and commercial robbery). Victim costs for robbery are made up of the value of property stolen as well as the cost of violence experienced by the victim and were estimated at £1,583 million in 2003-04.
	 Sources:
	Home Office online report 30/05
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/rdsolr3005.pdf
	Home Office online report 16/06
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/rdsolr1606.pdf

Drugs: Crime

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate has been made of the level of illegal drug dependency in the UK in each year since 1997.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 16 March 2009
	The Home Office is not able to provide information on levels of illegal drug dependency in the UK, but the British crime survey (BCS) does routinely provide estimates of illicit drug use among adults living in households in England and Wales.
	Table 1 shows trends in the proportion of 16 to 59-year-olds who have said they had used illicit drugs in the last year; latest figures show that the prevalence of any illicit drug use has fallen since the 1998 BCS.
	
		
			  Table 1: Proportion of 16 to 59-year-olds reporting use of drugs in the last year, 1998 to 2007-08, BCS 
			  Percentage 
			 Ints  Statistically significant change 
			   1998  2000  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  1998 to 2007-08  2006-07 to 2007-08 
			  Class A
			 Any cocaine 1.3 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.5 2.0 2.4 2.6 2.3 * * 
			 Cocaine powder 1.2 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.4 2.0 2.4 2.6 2.3 * * 
			 Crack cocaine 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 — — 
			 Ecstasy 1.5 1.8 2.2 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.6 1.8 1.5 — * 
			 Hallucinogens 1.3 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.1 0.7 0.6 * — 
			 LSD 0.8 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.3 * — 
			 Magic mushrooms 0.9 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.8 1.1 1.0 0.6 0.5 * — 
			 Opiates 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 — — 
			 Heroin 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 — — 
			 Methadone 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 — — 
			 
			  Class A/B
			 Amphetamines 3.0 2.1 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.0 * * 
			 
			  Class B/C
			 Tranquillisers 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.5 — — 
			 
			  Class C
			 Anabolic steroids 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 * — 
			 Cannabis 10.3 10.5 10.6 10.9 10.8 9.7 8.7 8.2 7.4 * * 
			 Ketamine n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.3 0.4 n/a — 
			 
			  Not classified
			 Amyl Nitrite 1.5 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.5 — — 
			 Glues 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 * * 
			 
			 Any Class A drug 2.7 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.5 3.2 3.4 3.4 3.0 — * 
			 Any drug 12.1 11.9 11.9 12.2 12.3 11.3 10.5 10.0 9.3 * * 
			 
			 Unweighted base 9,809 12,771 19,973 23,357 24,197 28,206 29,631 28,819 28,331 — — 
			  Notes: 1. Any drug use includes ketamine since 2006-07 interviews. 2. Base numbers relate to any drug use. Bases for other drug measures will be similar.  Source: 1998 to 2007-08 BCS (self-completion modules).

Drugs: Crime Prevention

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many closure orders have been made in respect of premises  (a) where Class A drugs are used unlawfully and  (b) associated with persistent disorder or nuisance in each police force area in England and Wales in each year since 2003.

Alan Campbell: The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 introduced the power for courts to issue orders for the closure of premises where Class A drugs and serious nuisance and disorder are a problem. The provision commenced on 20 January 2004. Data on the number of closure orders made in respect of premises where Class A drugs are used unlawfully are collected by the Home Office through voluntary Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) survey of antisocial behaviour tools and powers. Information on closure orders where Class A drugs are used unlawfully is not available in the format requested. However, information published in May 2008 and covering the period October 2003 to September 2007 is shown in the following table.
	The power for the courts to close, on a temporary basis, premises associated with significant and persistent disorder or persistent serious nuisance was introduced by the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. This new power commenced on 1 December 2008. Data on closure of premises associated with persistent disorder or nuisance order are not available.
	
		
			  CDRP Survey not including ASBO statistics, from October 2003 up to September 2007 
			  Police force/CJS  Government office region  Crack house made 
			 Bedfordshire East 4 
			 Cambridgeshire East 10 
			 Essex East 7 
			 Hertfordshire East 14 
			 Norfolk East 4 
			 Suffolk East 9 
			  East total 48 
			
			 Derbyshire East Midlands 13 
			 Leicestershire East Midlands 10 
			 Lincolnshire East Midlands 3 
			 Northamptonshire East Midlands 15 
			 Nottinghamshire East Midlands 33 
			  East Midlands total 74 
			
			 Greater London (Met and City of London) London 400 
			  London Total 400 
			
			 Cleveland North East 46 
			 Durham North East 6 
			 Northumbria North East 4 
			  North East total 56 
			
			 Cheshire North West 11 
			 Cumbria North West 8 
			 Greater Manchester North West 30 
			 Lancashire North West 49 
			 Merseyside North West 22 
			  North West total 120 
			
			 Hampshire South East 79 
			 Kent South East 16 
			 Surrey South East 2 
			 Sussex South East 10 
			 Thames Valley South East 16 
			  South East total 123 
			
			 Avon and Somerset South West 68 
			 Devon and Cornwall South West 24 
			 Dorset South West 23 
			 Gloucestershire South West 6 
			 Wiltshire South West 5 
			  South West total 126 
			
			 Dyfed-Powys Wales 0 
			 Gwent Wales 2 
			 North Wales Wales 9 
			 South Wales Wales 3 
			  Wales total 14 
			
			 Staffordshire West Midlands 6 
			 Warwickshire West Midlands 1 
			 West Mercia West Midlands 0 
			 West Midlands West Midlands 55 
			  West Midlands Total 62 
			
			 Humberside Yorkshire and Humberside 20 
			 North Yorkshire Yorkshire and Humberside 0 
			 South Yorkshire Yorkshire and Humberside 28 
			 West Yorkshire Yorkshire and Humberside 80 
			  Yorkshire and Humberside total 128 
			
			  National total 1,151

Forensic Science

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the minimum required level of  (a) professional and clinical qualification and  (b) practical training is for (i) nurses, (ii) doctors and (iii) other healthcare professionals employed by police forces to provide forensic medical services; what duties are performed by staff at each level in each professional role; what steps are taken to ensure that staff recruited to provide these services are available to give evidence in court when required; and what powers police forces have to (A) make and (B) vary requirements for forensic medical staff;
	(2)  what guidance her Department has issued on required levels of qualifications and training for healthcare staff employed in the delivery of forensic medical services to police forces and HM Courts Service.

Jacqui Smith: Guidance as to the level of professional and clinical qualification required for doctors or nurses is issued by the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine (FFLM), which is part of the Royal College of Physicians.
	Responsibility for recruitment of healthcare professionals is a matter for individual chief police officers, and it is for each police force to make a decision on an individual basis against this guidance.
	The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) recommends that students attending the Introductory Course in Clinical Forensic Medicine have the following experience:
	Doctors: Evidence of General Medical Council membership and evidence of insurance to practice as a medical practitioner.
	Health care professionals: Three to five years experience in an Accident and Emergency or Prison nursing environment.
	The FFLM will have an opinion as to what duties should, or should not, be performed by staff at each level in each professional role. There is no mandatory guidance from the police service.
	The availability of health care staff to give evidence in court is a matter for individual police forces.
	NPIA Forensic Centre provides an introductory course for forensic physicians and health care professionals. Such training is not mandatory. All police forces in England and Wales and custody health care providers are aware of the training, together with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the forensic regulator.

Former Ministers: Security

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former Ministers receive police protection.

Vernon Coaker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 5 March 2009,  Official Report , column 1779W.

Fraud: Banks

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps she has taken to increase levels of detection of fraud in relation to retail banks.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 17 March 2009
	Banks may report incidents of fraud to the police who will take a decision about the appropriate response.
	In response to the recent cross Whitehall review of fraud, the Government and Corporation of London have allocated additional funding to the City of London police to enable the force to take a national lead in the investigation of serious and organised fraud. The force is also establishing a centre of excellence which will assist other forces in their response to fraud by providing training and best practice. Additional money has also been made available to establish a national fraud reporting centre which will equip law enforcement agencies with a powerful intelligence tool and help form the basis of better prevention advice and alerts to fraud threats for business and the public.

Master Locksmiths' Association

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons she did not invite representatives of the Master Locksmiths' Association to her recent burglary summit.

Jacqui Smith: Invitees to the burglary summit held on 4 February were intended to provide as wide a representation of stakeholders as possible across the public, private and voluntary sectors, within the constraints of the venue. The security industry was represented in the first instance by the British Security Industry Association, as they have a wide reach through the industry, but the Home Office recognises that Master Locksmiths' Association has a very valuable role to play.
	The summit was the first event in an ongoing programme of work, and the Home Office is developing the ideas that emerged from that meeting, involving a wider range of partners. Since the summit, a number of companies and industry bodies have contacted officials expressing a willingness to support the real help for people in hard times work. The support of the Master Locksmith's Association is most welcome; they have been contacted by Home Office officials and will be included in relevant aspects of this work as it progresses.

Offences Against Children

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to ensure there are sufficient numbers of SCD5 child abuse investigation-trained police officers; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: SCD5 is the Metropolitan Police Child Abuse Investigation Command. It is a matter for the Commissioner of the Metropolis to determine the appropriate number of trained child abuse investigating officers in his police force.

Police: Electronic Equipment

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hand-held devices have been issued to police officers and community support officers in each police force in England and Wales.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 16 March 2009
	As at 12 March 2009, a total of 26,188 hand held devices had been issued. The number of devices issued in each police force in England and Wales is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Avon and Somerset constabulary 450 
			 Bedfordshire police 1,453 
			 Cambridgeshire constabulary 1,363 
			 Cheshire constabulary 1,130 
			 City of London police 0 
			 Cleveland police 173 
			 Cumbria constabulary 50 
			 Derbyshire constabulary 80 
			 Devon and Cornwall constabulary 0 
			 Dorset police 140 
			 Durham Constabulary 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys police 0 
			 Essex police 2,192 
			 Gloucestershire constabulary 0 
			 Greater Manchester police 500 
			 Gwent police 200 
			 Hampshire constabulary 0 
			 Hertfordshire constabulary 2,118 
			 Humberside police 40 
			 Kent police 1,842 
			 Lancashire constabulary 2,750 
			 Leicestershire constabulary 750 
			 Lincolnshire Police 0 
			 Merseyside police 103 
			 Metropolitan police 80 
			 Norfolk constabulary 0 
			 North Wales police 1,760 
			 North Yorkshire police 0 
			 Northamptonshire police 845 
			 Northumbria police 0 
			 Nottinghamshire police 1,500 
			 South Wales police 0 
			 South Yorkshire police 354 
			 Staffordshire police 1,200 
			 Suffolk constabulary 0 
			 Surrey police 200 
			 Sussex police 0 
			 Thames Valley police 1,200 
			 Warwickshire police 0 
			 West Mercia constabulary 0 
			 West Midlands police 0 
			 West Yorkshire police 3,570 
			 Wiltshire constabulary 145 
			 Total 26,188

Shoplifting

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimated value of goods was stolen from retail premises in each year from 1997-98 to 2007-08.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 16 March 2009
	 The information requested is not collected centrally on a year on year basis. The Home Office Commercial Victimisation Survey last carried out in 2002 reported that, on average, a single incident of shop theft cost the retailer £35 in loss and damage. The Home Office is currently scoping a new Commercial Victimisation survey to be carried later this year.

Stop and Search

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) stop and account forms and  (b) stop and search forms were issued in each police force area in 2007-08.

Vernon Coaker: Data on stops and account are collected by police force area and are published in the 'Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System—2006-07' report for the first time this month
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/raceandcis.htm
	This information is contained in the attached table, but can also be found in Table 4.9 of the report.
	Information on the number of stop and searches is contained in the attached table. A record is not held centrally on the number of forms issued. The requirement on providing a record of a stop and account was removed from 1 January 2009. The recording requirements for stop and search are set out in code of practice A issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
	Data on stop and searches is published in chapter 4 of the Ministry of Justice publication, 'Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System' and tables P1 to P3 and PA to PC of the Ministry of Justice publication 'Arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) and the operation of certain police powers under PACE
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/arrests-recorded-crime-engl-wales-2006-07-b.pdf
	
		
			  Stops and searches under various legislation by police force area, England and Wales 2006-07 
			   Number of stop and searches 
			  Police force area  Section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1994  Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994  Section 44(1) and 44(2) of the Terrorism Act 2000 
			 Avon and Somerset 14,866 238 3 
			 Bedfordshire 4,464 323 29 
			 Cambridgeshire 8,855 37 — 
			 Cheshire 6,200 267 5 
			 Cleveland 12,166 — — 
			 Cumbria 8,283 88 — 
			 Derbyshire 8,543 184 — 
			 Devon and Cornwall 26,186 75 1 
			 Dorset 6,637 42 14 
			 Durham 8,362 15 — 
			 Essex 8,786 663 452 
			 Gloucestershire 4,791 95 4 
			 Greater Manchester 43,570 2,793 8 
			 Hampshire 20,840 433 2,565 
			 Hertfordshire 10,572 204 — 
			 Humberside 9,716 327 — 
			 Kent 13,870 287 29 
			 Lancashire 17,819 402 — 
			 Leicestershire 21,849 744 2 
			 Lincolnshire 8,825 17 3 
			 London, City of 5,773 32 2,238 
			 Merseyside 37,489 11,034 1 
			 Metropolitan Police 323,848 16,917 29,525 
			 Norfolk 8,509 35 4 
			 Northamptonshire 12,973 690 2 
			 Northumbria 33,399 865 39 
			 North Yorkshire 10,539 8 208 
			 Nottinghamshire 9,318 704 2 
			 South Yorkshire 20,128 348 — 
			 Staffordshire 19,318 — — 
			 Suffolk 4,194 8 — 
			 Surrey 13,032 60 2,248 
			 Sussex 15,329 218 — 
			 Thames Valley 28,554 433 118 
			 Warwickshire 5,183 1 3 
			 West Mercia 11,932 191 2 
			 West Midlands 27,125 5,212 — 
			 West Yorkshire 63,580 426 73 
			 Wiltshire 4,393 42 1 
			 Dyfed Powys 8,705 8 — 
			 Gwent 5,794 30 — 
			 North Wales 14,420 162 77 
			 South Wales 14,162 49 4,268 
			 Total 962,897 44,707 41,924 
		
	
	
		
			  Total stops, by police force 2005-06 to 2006-07 
			  Police force area  2005-06  2006-07  Total 
			 Avon and Somerset 7,501 8,043 15,544 
			 Bedfordshire 11,114 7,745 18,859 
			 Cambridgeshire 4,506 17,708 22,214 
			 Cheshire 48,113 75,167 123,280 
			 Cleveland 61,618 70,279 131,897 
			 Cumbria 7,091 18,698 25,789 
			 Derbyshire 14,960 20,159 35,119 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,924 3,266 6,190 
			 Dorset 1,694 2,144 3,838 
			 Durham 7,675 16,017 23,692 
			 Essex 45,251 62,946 108,197 
			 Gloucestershire 5,158 12,789 17,947 
			 Greater Manchester 54,188 77,549 131,737 
			 Hampshire 43,006 59,328 102,334 
			 Hertfordshire 28,984 43,326 72,310 
			 Humberside 11,782 30,575 42,357 
			 Kent 12,865 14,200 27,065 
			 Lancashire 47,673 60,742 108,415 
			 Leicestershire 11,568 17,453 29,021 
			 Lincolnshire 16,525 30,268, 46,793 
			 London, City of 61,853 28,583 90,436 
			 Merseyside 96,878 164,715 261,593 
			 Metropolitan Police 176,278 244,571 420,849 
			 Norfolk 5,749 9,504 15,253 
			 Northamptonshire 12,651 24,329 36,980 
			 Northumbria 56,446 88,361 144,807 
			 North Yorkshire 10,261 23,688 33,949 
			 Nottinghamshire 25,499 24,413 49,912 
			 South Yorkshire 19,018 36,174 55,192 
			 Staffordshire 15,985 21,154 37,139 
			 Suffolk 5,522 6,647 12,169 
			 Surrey 10,819 19,529 30,348 
			 Sussex 78,103 90,685 168,788 
			 Thames Valley 29,371 56,782 86,153 
			 Warwickshire 6,806 3,857 10,663 
			 West Mercia 17,492 20,514 38,006 
			 West Midlands 147,861 142,998 290,859 
			 West Yorks 88,794 104,167 192,961 
			 Wiltshire 6,410 6,763 13,173 
			 
			 Dyfed Powys 28,955 27,148 56,103 
			 Gwent 8,810 12,434. 21,244 
			 North Wales 8,025 14,277 22,302 
			 South Wales 38,963 48,875 87,838 
			 
			 England and Wales 1,400,745 1,868,570 3,269,315

Stop and Search: Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals were found to be carrying illegal  (a) weapons and  (b) drugs during stop and search procedures by the police in Hemel Hempstead in each of the last 10 years.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	Data on stops and searches under PACE and the number of resultant arrests for weapons and drugs reported to the Home Office are broken down by police force area only, and cannot separately identify searches in individual constituency areas.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals are believed by the Security Service to pose a direct threat to national security and public safety because of their support for terrorism.

Vernon Coaker: The Security Service will investigate individuals where there is cause for concern regarding their behaviour or activities. Where it is determined that an individual poses a direct threat to national security and public safety, the Security Service, in co-operation with the police, will take disruptive action. However, the number of individuals under investigation by the Security Service at any one time does not necessarily equate to the number of people who pose a direct threat. This is because the police and security and intelligence agencies will never have comprehensive coverage or surveillance so there could be extremist activities of which we are not aware.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Community Relations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2008,  Official Report, column 584W, on community relations, which departments have spent money on Prevent-related projects and activities in each year since 2006; and how much has been spent on Prevent-related projects and activities in each such year.

Sadiq Khan: Figures for funding in each financial year since 2006, where the primary goal is to prevent violent extremism are:
	
		
			  £ 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 CLG 1,400,000 8,330,000 (1)20,500,000 
			 DCSF 0 0 1,000,000 
			 DIUS 0 0 (2)660,000 
			 FCO 8,460,000 7,530,000 (2)14,320,000 
			 HO 0 15,000,000 23,000,000 
			 (1) Includes £12,000,000 Area Based Grant to local areas. (2) To end of February 2009.

Community Relations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many individuals the Channel Project has identified as being vulnerable to becoming involved in violent extremism.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	Between April 2007 and September 2008 Channel received around 178 referrals.

Community Relations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanisms are used by the Channel Project to determine whether an individual is vulnerable to becoming involved in violent extremism.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	There is no single profile of a violent extremist. There are a range of factors and vulnerabilities that may facilitate the process of radicalisation. The prevent strategy: A guide for local partners includes a widely circulated description of the factors that might leave a person more susceptible to exploitation by violent extremists. Local partners, including the police and statutory and community partners, work together to assess an individual's vulnerability to becoming involved in violent extremism.

Community Relations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government at what point an individual is notified that they are the subject of a risk assessment as part of the Channel Project on determining whether or not they are vulnerable to becoming involved in violent extremism.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	Local partners determine, on a case by case basis, when and how to discuss with an individual the nature of their vulnerability.

Community Relations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanisms are in place for an individual to appeal if he or she is determined as part of the Channel Project as vulnerable to becoming involved in violent extremism.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	Channel is about providing support to protect and safeguard an individual from being drawn in to violent extremism. Individuals are not compelled to engage with any support provision and therefore there are no appeals procedures within Channel.

Community Relations: Finance

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to Annex E of The Prevent Strategy: A Guide for Local Partners in England, 3 June 2008, whether any local partners have taken action to  (a) withdraw funding from and  (b) terminate funding agreements with organisations they have previously given money to under the Prevent strand of Project CONTEST.

Sadiq Khan: We are aware that Tower Hamlets council terminated the funding agreement they had in place with Cordoba Foundation for 2007-08.
	We are not aware of any other funding contracts being withdrawn or terminated.

Council Housing: Rents

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it her policy to ensure that the funding made available to local authorities to implement guideline rent increase meets the full cost of implementation; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: Local authorities are responsible for setting their own rents, having regard to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) subsidy determination, local resources and affordability issues.
	We have maintained expenditure allowances in line with the previous inflation forecast of 2.75 per cent. for 2009-10, to help authorities absorb implementation costs.
	We will meet the fall in assumed income of those authorities that reduce their actual average increase in rents in 2009-10 in line with the reduction in the national average guideline rent. It is our intention that the funding available should be passed on in full to tenants in the form of reduced rent increases.

Council Housing: Rents

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the decision was taken to halve the guideline rent increase for local authority tenants; what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of meeting the costs incurred by local housing authorities in implementing the new guideline rent increase; what timetable she has set for implementation of the new guideline rent increase and funding scheme to assist local authorities; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The decision to halve the national average guideline rent increase was taken shortly before the announcement was made by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning on 6 March.
	Local authorities asked us to reconsider the existing average guideline rent increases to help protect their tenants in the current difficult economic conditions particularly the adverse impact on rent increases given the very sharp fall in inflation since September. We have listened and responded promptly to their request. It is our intention that the funding available for the reduction to the national average guideline rent should be passed on in full to tenants in the form of reduced rent increases.
	After a short period of consultation on new guideline rents for each authority, we envisage issuing the final 2009-10 amending HRA subsidy determination with reduced rental income for participating authorities in May. It would then be for those authorities to introduce the changes to their own timetables for reducing their tenants' rents. Whether they do so is entirely a matter for local authorities.

Council Housing: Rents

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the cost to local authorities of halving their proposed rent rise.

Iain Wright: The Department has made no assessment of the administration costs to local authorities of reducing their proposed rent rises in 2009-10.
	Local authorities asked us to reconsider the existing average guideline rent increases to help protect their tenants in the current difficult economic conditions. We have listened and responded quickly to their request. It is our intention that the funding available for the reduction to the national average guideline rent should be passed on in full to tenants in the form of reduced rent increases.

Council Tax: Empty Property

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 10 December 2007,  Official Report, column 117W, on council tax: empty property, what the conclusion of the research commissioned by her Department on the exercise of discretionary council tax power by local authorities in respect of long-term empty homes was; and whether she plans to review Government policy in light of this research.

John Healey: The report, including its conclusions, by Roger Tym Partnership in association with Three Dragons, "Application of discretionary council tax powers for empty homes", is available on Communities and Local Government's website at the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/counciltaxemptyhomes
	The Government have no plans to review their policy on local authorities' discretionary power to reduce the council tax discount on empty properties.

Councillors: Vetting

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the provision of Criminal Record Bureau checks on councillors.

John Healey: The Department has issued no such guidance to local authorities about criminal record checks on persons due to their being councillors.

Departmental Catering

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge of 26 January 2009,  Official Report, column 107W, on departmental catering, what the policy on using genetically modified food in  (a) the Eland House staff restaurant,  (b) the Ashdown House snack bar,  (c) the catering facilities at the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol,  (d) the catering facilities at the Fire Service College and  (e) the canteen facility at the QE2 Conference Centre is.

Sadiq Khan: The catering providers at the premises mentioned have confirmed that it is their policy not to use genetically modified food or ingredients.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether regional improvement efficiency partnerships have issued guidance to local authorities on  (a) the frequency of bin collections and  (b) the size of household bins.

John Healey: The regional improvement and efficiency partnerships (RIEPs) are devolved partnerships of councils and other local services. Information on whether RIEPs have issued guidance to local authorities on frequency of bin collections and size of household bins is not held centrally. The national improvement and efficiency strategy devolves responsibility to RIEPs for identifying where resources should be spend and using their resources in the best way to obtain the help they may need to assist councils and support to drive LAA outcomes.

Economic Situation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what  (a) summits,  (b) conferences and  (c) seminars her Department has hosted since January 2008 at which a primary subject of discussion was the effect of the economic situation on matters within her Department's responsibility.

Sadiq Khan: Responding to the economic situation is a priority for the Government. Summits, conferences and seminars are some of the methods used to engage stakeholders in this work and ensure action is coordinated and effective. A list of events hosted by Communities and Local Government since January 2008 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Summits, conferences and seminars on the economic situation hosted by Communities and Local Government since January 2008 
			  Date held  Title  Description 
			 26 September 2008 Analysis Week—Housing and Planning Expert Panels Seminar Series of short presentations on how housing and planning mitigates against economic downturns—past successes and failures, international comparisons, short and long term options. 
			 17 November 2008 Regional Ministers Economic Delivery Group Membership and TOR; Current Economic Climate and Impact on Region; Regional Update by EDG Group Members; Infrastructure/Capital projects—setting out criteria for regional priorities. 
			 24 November 2008 RIEP—Worklessness event Joint workshop between GOYH and Local Government Yorkshire and the Humber (RIEP funding), to share good practice and for local partners to network. A presentation on the current economic climate and update on the Houghton Review was followed by workshops on what was happening in local economies and what needed to be done. 
			 4 December 2008 Arms-Length bodies in Finance Networking Event Networking event for senior finance managers in Communities and Local Government and it's arms-length bodies looking at the impact of the current economic climate on business areas. 
			 8 December 2008 Regional Ministers Economic Delivery Group Regional Intelligence Report; Pre Budget Report; Housing in Yorkshire and the Humber; Tackling Rising Unemployment; Communications Plan. 
			 7 January 2009 Home Builders Federation Seminar Purpose of the seminar was to facilitate a wider stakeholder discussion about the house-building sector with a particular focus on the impact of new regulations on the sector. 
			 12 January 2009 Regional Ministers Economic Delivery Group Regional Intelligence Report; Update from Regional Economic Council on 5 January 2009; Yorkshire and Humber Report on Redundancies for HMT; Key Business Support Measures; Investments and Initiatives. 
			 23 January 2009 Migration and the Economic Downturn Seminar Seminar focusing on: (i) the impacts of the economic downturn on international migration into the UK and (ii) The potential impacts on regional economic performance of a fall in net migration. 
			 28 January 2009 Planning and the Economy Workshop Joint CLG/Whitehall in Industry Group (WIG) workshop focussing on what the land use planning system can do to aid economic recovery; on mitigating the effects of climate change; and on delivering truly sustainable development. 
			 5 February 2009 Homeowners Mortgage Support scheme—development workshop One day workshop with lenders and money advice agencies to agree the implementation plans for the Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme. 
			 9 February 2009 Regional Ministers Economic Delivery Group Regional intelligence Report; Regional response to redundancies; Business Support Measures; Public Sector Capital Investment. 
			 18 February 2009 Regeneration in Recession Internal seminar with Professor Ian Gordon and Professor Henry Overman from the Spatial Economic Research Centre, to discuss the spatial implications of the recession and whether the core principles underpinning the government's approach to regeneration were still fit for purpose. 
			 26 February 2009 Housing Roundtable Seminar examining housing markets and the downturn. 
			 27 February 2009 Housing Roundtable Seminar examining housing markets and the downturn.

Eland House

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date Eland House first became an operational building for her Department's predecessor.

Sadiq Khan: Staff of the then Department of the Environment moved into Eland House on a phased relocation basis starting in December 1996, with final moves completed in March 1997.

Energy Performance Certificates

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department is taking to  (a) measure and  (b) maintain the quality of energy performance certificates for (i) domestic and (ii) non-domestic properties; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Department maintains technical and business operating standards that energy assessors are expected to adhere to in creating energy performance certificate (EPCs). We also approve accreditation schemes who are responsible for accrediting energy assessors and ensuring that they comply with our standards in creating the EPCs. Accreditation schemes are required to check a sample of EPCs for both domestic and non-domestic properties to ensure that they are within specific quality limits.
	CLG has also commissioned an independent audit of the performance of the accreditation schemes in ensuring that the quality standards are attained and maintained.
	Technical and business standards are available on the CLG website at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/epbd

Energy Performance Certificates

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the role of data collectors is in the production of energy performance certificates for  (a) domestic and  (b) non-domestic properties.

Margaret Beckett: The Department accepts that an accredited energy assessor may require professional assistance in carrying out assessments of portfolios of large numbers of similar types of properties (such as local authority housing stock) and of large non-domestic properties. We have accordingly issued guidance on the use of such assistants in the undertaking of assessments of non-domestic and rental properties, and in advice notes to accreditation schemes. This guidance makes clear that where assistants are used that they should be closely supervised by an accredited energy assessor, who is always responsible for the quality of the underlying data and the certificate.
	Details of guidance are available on the CLG website:
	www.communities.gov.uk/epbd

Homebuy Scheme

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many developers were invited to participate in the Homebuy Direct scheme;
	(2)  how many developers have agreed to participate in the Homebuy Direct scheme; and how many properties are on offer for sale through the scheme.

Margaret Beckett: Following a competitive bidding process, 130 developers were approved by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to offer the HomeBuy Direct scheme, which is designed to help up to 18,000 first time buyers into home ownership. Nearly 7,000 HomeBuy Direct properties are currently available to purchasers, and a further 11,000 properties will become available very soon.

Homebuy Scheme

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been sold under each type of Homebuy scheme in each region of England in each year.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 3 March 2009 , Official Report, column 1540W.
	In addition, the table shows Social HomeBuy sales by region for 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 to end January 2009.
	
		
			  Region  n ame (by location)  2006-07  2007-08  2008 -09( 1) 
			 North East 2 7 7 
			 North West 4 34 22 
			 Yorks and Humber 12 6 1 
			 East Midlands 3 2 — 
			 West Midlands — 6 11 
			 Eastern 1 5 2 
			 London 23 79 39 
			 South East 2 20 10 
			 South West — 1 — 
			 ( 1)  To  31 January 2009  Source:  Homes and Communities Agency Investment Management System and local authority returns

Housing: Low Incomes

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps she has taken to increase the supply of affordable accommodation.

Iain Wright: We are committed to the delivery of affordable housing, and are investing over £8 billion in affordable housing over the three years, 2008-11—a 50 per cent. increase on the previous three years. This investment is being made through the Homes and Communities Agency. Our aspiration is to reach 70,000 new affordable homes a year by 2010-11.
	The September housing market package of measures was aimed at increasing confidence, stability and fairness in the housing market. This offered up to 10,000 first-time buyers currently frozen out of the mortgage market the chance to get onto the property ladder through a new shared equity scheme, Homebuy Direct; Support for up to 6,000 of the most vulnerable homeowners facing repossession to remain in their home through a mortgage rescue scheme; Improving the support offered through the benefit system to homeowners with mortgages who lose their jobs, at a cost of £100 million over the next two years; working with regional development agencies to support the most critical regeneration schemes with the greatest potential to transform their communities and specifically on social rent, bringing forward £400 million in order to deliver up to 5,500 new social homes over the next 18 months on top of current assumptions.
	The pre-Budget announced £775 million of housing and regeneration investment brought forward to help offset the impact of economic shocks on priority programmes and provide additional fiscal stimulus. This included £250 million on Decent Homes programmes to fund improvements and improve energy efficiency in 25,000 council homes; a further £150 million on social rented housing to bring forward delivery of up to 2,000 more social rented homes; £175 million for major repairs to council housing stock, and £100 million to support key regeneration and housing infrastructure projects.
	Additionally, the RDAs will consider the scope for bringing forward up to £100 million nationally to provide a stimulus to regional and national economic development. The Government also extended the Mortgage Rescue scheme to include cover for second charge lending and the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme for homeowners who lose their jobs.
	These announcements build on those previously made in May and July 2008. We are continuing to work closely with the Homes and Communities Agency in order to secure continued delivery of affordable housing.

Housing: Valuation

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what authorisation Valuation Office Agency staff require to enter a domestic property for the purposes of revaluation.

John Healey: There is statutory authority in section 26(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for Listing Officers of the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to enter on, survey and value domestic property for council tax purposes. All VOA staff undertaking council tax work carry authorisation to act on the Listing Officer's behalf and must, under section 26(3), produce this when visiting a property. I also refer the hon. Member to the information provided on the Valuation Office Agency website at the following link
	http://www.voa.gov.uk/TheFacts/council-tax-facts.htm - ql4

Land: Public Sector

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects the review by Partnerships UK and Baroness Margaret Ford into identifying and releasing surplus public sector land to be published.

Iain Wright: The review by Partnerships UK, with Baroness Ford as specialist adviser, was carried out between October 2008 and January 2009. Rather than being a desk-based research exercise, the purpose of this commission was to explore options for driving forward the surplus public sector land programme through face-to-face discussion with a number of public sector bodies. The final report from this commission summarised the activities carried out during this period.

Local Government

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what investigatory powers local authorities have to intercept and retain post.

John Healey: Interception is regulated in part I chapter I of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Local authorities are not able to carry out warranted interception under this part.

Local Government Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment her Department has made of the likely effect of the recession on the finances of local authorities in the next three years.

John Healey: The Audit Commission report, "Crunch Time?" found that councils are generally prepared for the impact of the economic downturn and the consequent loss of fees and interest, and increased demand for services. The Government have continued to invest in local services with an extra £8.9 billion as part of the first-ever three-year settlement giving councils the stability and flexibility they need to manage their budgets effectively. Delivering continued efficiency gains is key to enabling authorities to manage the pressures they face which will generate a further £4.9 billion over the CSR07 period. We know that some councils are coming up with innovative ways to save money. We believe that councils are therefore well placed to manage their way through this economic climate.

Local Government Finance: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how payments to be made under the  (a) Local Authority Business Growth Incentive Grant and  (b) Area-Based Grant to Chorley Borough Council for the years 2009-10 to 2011-12 were calculated.

John Healey: No Local Authority Business Growth Incentives grants have yet been calculated for the years 2009-10 to 2011-12.
	Area Based Grant comprises the 'pooling' of grants previously paid to local authorities by individual Government Departments as specific grants into a single unringfenced general grant. Each contributing Department is responsible for defining the allocation criteria or formulae for the funding streams they wish to be paid via Area Based Grant.

Local Government Services: Weather

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will commission an independent review of the emergency planning and contingency arrangements used by local authorities for the purpose of increasing the effectiveness of such arrangements during extended periods of severe weather.

Paul Clark: I have been asked to reply.
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport made a written ministerial statement to the House of Commons on 12 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 29-32WS. In it, he announced that he would be asking the UK Roads Liaison Group to review the salt stocks issues raised by the severe weather in February 2009.
	Other issues that arose were localised and short term, and are being addressed by other means, including by debriefs or reviews in the relevant geographic areas.

Local Government: Meetings

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department issues to  (a) local authorities and  (b) local strategic partnerships on the publication of (i) agendas and (ii) minutes of meetings.

John Healey: Requirements as to the conduct of local authority meetings and access to meeting documents are set out in the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000 (No. 3272). In addition, following the Local Government Act 2000, we issued general guidance—the 'New Councils Constitution: guidance to English Local Authorities'—on the conduct of council business.
	While the Department has issued statutory guidance on local strategic partnerships—'Creating Strong, Safe and Prosperous Communities: Statutory Guidance' —this does not include guidance as to the conduct of local strategic partnership meetings, as in the case of these voluntary partnerships this matter is one for local determination.

Local Government: Pensions

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether there are plans to use funds in the Local Government Pension Scheme to support Partnership for Schools; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: Local Government Pension Fund administering authorities are responsible for decisions about the use of pension funds' monies within the prudent regulatory framework provided by the Local Government Pension Scheme (Management and Investment of Funds) Regulations 1998 as amended.

Local Government: Standards

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons it was decided to replace comprehensive performance assessment with comprehensive area assessment in respect of local government with effect from 2009.

John Healey: The 2006 Local Government White Paper set out the Government's reasons for introducing the new local performance framework, one element of which was the introduction of a new comprehensive area assessment in 2009.
	CPA reported on the performance of councils, but many priority outcomes important to local people are delivered in partnership with other service providers and not just by councils. Like other parts of the new framework, the approach to assessment and inspection was changed to focus more on outcomes, taking into account citizens' experiences and perspectives, and on areas rather than just individual institutions.

Local Government: Training

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make an estimate of local authority expenditure on training courses run by Common Purpose in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Non-Domestic Rates: Business

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will estimate the net revenue likely to be raised from business rates in  (a) England and  (b) Wales in 2009-10.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 March 2009,  Official Report, column 494W.
	Business rates in Wales are the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Non-Domestic Rates: Greater London

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1278W, on non-domestic rates: Greater London, whether a guidance manual or handbook has been issued to assist with the sub-location coding exercise of non-domestic rates in each billing authority in Greater London.

John Healey: The agency has in place a guidance note, for use by its valuation staff, which explains the "sub-location" concept. The guidance is generic and applies to all billing authorities in England and Wales.

Non-Domestic Rates: Ports

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the oral answer of 19 January 2009,  Official Report, column 600, on the port of Liverpool (business rates), what the estimated change to net aggregate revenue is between 2005 and 2010.

John Healey: The Department does not hold information on revenues as it is the local authorities who are responsible for billing and collection of rates from individual businesses. However, the latest figures from the Valuation Office Agency indicate that the change to net aggregate rateable value of ports in England from the review of ports is to increase the overall rateable value of ports from £201 million to £211, and in Liverpool from £20.2 million to £20.4million.
	The total Port operator's rateable value has decreased by £44 million whereas the rateable value of the port occupiers has increased by £55 million; in Liverpool the port operator's rateable value has decreased by £9.7 million, while the port occupiers has increased by £9.9 million.

Non-Domestic Rates: Ports

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 19 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 1082-3W, on non-domestic rates: ports, if she will place in the Library a copy of the revised table of aggregate changes in rateable values in ports.

John Healey: I have placed a revised table in the Library of the House. This represents the most up to date complete table currently available.

Non-Domestic Rates: Valuation

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what methodology the Valuation Office Agency uses to value a parking space.

John Healey: Valuation officers normally use the established rental comparative method to value a parking space.

Partnerships UK

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 5 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1436-7W, on Partnerships UK, and with reference to the written ministerial statement of 16 July 2008,  Official Report, column 17WS, on Housing Challenge document, if she will place in the Library a copy of the contract between her Department and Partnerships UK.

Iain Wright: I have placed copies of the original framework agreement with Partnerships UK together with the specification and award letter for this particular call off contract in the Library of the House.

Property Development

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons Helen Zammett has not received a response to her request for information regarding the reasons for the decision in 2008 to lift the Article 4 direction in relation to Chepstow, 49 Leicester Road, Wanstead.

Iain Wright: A response was sent to my hon. Friend's letter of 6 May 2008, which forwarded Helen Zammett's letter of 18 April requesting information on the reasons for not confirming this Article 4 Direction. The response enclosed a copy of the Government Office for London's decision letter of 8 April 2008, which contained the reasons for the decision. Her letter, although addressed to the Secretary of State, was only received via my hon. Friend. Had it been sent directly to the Secretary of State the normal procedure would have been to send her a response. However, in this case that would not have been possible as her letter did not include a return address.

Property Development

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration she has given to the merits of a moratorium on the construction of  (a) new housing and schools close to existing high voltage power lines and  (b) high voltage power lines close to existing housing and schools; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The Government are considering the need for any practical precautionary measures in light of the "First Interim Assessment: Power Lines and Property, Wiring in Homes and Electrical Equipment in Homes", delivered to the Public Health Minister by the Stakeholder Advisory Group on Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (SAGE).
	We expect to publish a response to the SAGE report shortly.

Repossession Orders

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Jarrow of 16 June 2008,  Official Report, column 710W, on repossession orders, if she will make it her policy to collect information on the number of home repossessions.

Iain Wright: The Department does not collect data on repossessions. Repossessions data at the national level are available from the Council of Mortgage Lenders and Financial Services Authority.
	The only sub-national figures relating to repossessions are for possession orders. Statistics on mortgage and landlord possession orders for the county courts are available via the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/stats-landlord-mortgage-historic-20-02-09.xls

Right to Buy Scheme

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will bring forward proposals to allow individual councils to retain the capital receipts from right-to-buy sales.

Iain Wright: The current position is that housing capital receipts are recycled to central Government for investment, since the level of receipts received in a local authority area does not always match the authority's need to spend. For receipts arising from right to buy (RTB) sales and other sales of dwellings, the proportion that is recycled is 75 per cent.; Local authorities are free to use the remaining 25 per cent. for any capital purpose they choose.
	The Review of Council Housing Finance is examining the issue of capital receipts and its interaction with the overall system. The aim of the review is to find a fair, affordable, long-term solution which enables councils to exercise greater freedom and local control but which also supports wider housing policy such as increasing supply.
	We are consulting now on the implementation of changes to the revenue and capital rules which currently redistribute rent and capital receipts from new council housing. We are proposing that councils keep the full revenue from new homes they build and the full capital receipts if those homes are sold.

Right to Buy Scheme

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby of 30 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1257W, on council housing, if she will estimate how much has been raised in capital receipts from right to buy sales in each year since the scheme's inception.

Iain Wright: As I said in my answer to which the hon. Gentleman refers, the Department does not hold information on capital receipts from right to buy (RTB) and preserved right to buy sales before 1998, nor is it possible to estimate their level. Information on total receipts arising from local authority RTB sales since 1998-99 are available from the following webpage:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/table-648.xls
	Information on total receipts arising from preserved RTB sales from registered social landlords (RSLs) is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Total receipts arising from preserved RTB sales from  registered social landlords (RSL s) 
			  Financial year  £ million 
			 1998-99 116 
			 1999-2000 199 
			 2000-01 198 
			 2001-02 226 
			 2002-03 350 
			 2003-04 483 
			 2004-05 326 
			 2005-06 286 
			 2006-07 260 
			 2007-08 197

Sustainable Development

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representation her Department had at the Ecobuild Conference at Earl's Court between 3 and 5 March 2009; and if she will place in the Library copies of material distributed and speeches made by representatives of her Department at the Conference.

Margaret Beckett: The Department had a corporate stand at the EcoBuild conference, which was manned by officials from a number of relevant policy areas to ensure the provision of expert advice to delegates to the conference.
	The speech that I made at the conference can be downloaded from the Communities website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/speeches/corporate/futuregreenbuilding
	The publications that were distributed at the conference can be downloaded from the Communities website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/publications/all/

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Overseas Territories: Investment

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on the monetary value of financial deposits in each UK overseas territory.

Gillian Merron: The information requested by my hon. Friend is not held by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), but by the regulatory authorities in each Overseas Territory.
	FCO officials are in contact with these authorities and I will write to my hon. Friend with the information, when it has been received.

Colombia: Armed Conflict

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the comments of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that the Colombian security forces are engaged in widespread and systematic killings of civilians.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 16 March 2009
	We share the concerns of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the ongoing problem of abuses committed by members of the Colombian armed forces. I stressed this in a statement on 30 October 2008, in which I said that
	"It is vital, not least for Colombia's international reputation, that the government and courts continue to show a determination to deal with human rights abuses committed by members of the armed forces, and that those convicted by the civilian justice system are punished appropriately."
	I have discussed our concerns with the Colombian vice-president, foreign minister and ambassador to the UK, and officials in our embassy in Bogota have taken a number of opportunities to remind representatives of the Colombian government and armed forces of these concerns.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Armed Conflict

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of allegations of the activities of Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda rebels in villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gillian Merron: We are encouraged by the success of the recent joint military operations conducted by the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda against the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) militia. The numbers of rebel fighters leaving the FDLR have increased in recent weeks.
	Nonetheless, the group remains a serious threat to stability in eastern DRC. We understand that during the operations, members of the militia carried out reprisal attacks against members of the civilian population.
	Since the end of the joint operations, the FDLR have regrouped in some locations. The DRC army is continuing its efforts to apply pressure to the FDLR, with support from UN peacekeepers. This includes the process of persuading FDLR members to give up their struggle, disarm and integrate into civilian life.

Departmental Audit

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the National Audit Office on the date of publication of its report on the financial management of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has worked closely with the National Audit Office (NAO) throughout the Financial Management Review in agreeing milestones and delivery dates.
	The first draft of the review was issued by the NAO on 18 February 2009. On 9 March 2009, the FCO finance department provided comments and an action plan, and the Audit and Risk Committee discussed the initial draft. The NAO are responsible for producing the final version which will be agreed by both Departments.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to his Department was of entertaining at each residence used by Ministers in his Department in each year since 1997.

Gillian Merron: The information requested is not held centrally in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and to obtain this would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Appointments

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on the number of persons appointed to executive positions in bodies for which his Department has responsibility in the last five years who previously had careers in the banking industry.

Gillian Merron: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Wines

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance he has received from the Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine on the wines to be served in  (a) overseas embassies and high commissions and  (b) in his Department's premises in London; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance.

Gillian Merron: The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine (GHACPW) offers advice to Government Hospitality, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the department with responsibility for the management of the government cellar stock. The GHACPW's annual report is placed in the Library of the House, but its advice is not published. Although it is not the role of the GHACPW to offer advice to UK missions overseas, the head of Government Hospitality does offer guidance to our embassies and high commissions as required.

Foreign Policy

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which areas of the world the UK is making territorial claims.

Gillian Merron: The UK is not making any territorial claims as such. In relation to the continental shelf, where as a coastal state the UK would have limited rights to explore and exploit the natural resources of the seabed and subsoil, the UK has, to date, made two submissions to the UN Commission on the limits of the continental shelf. These relate to the continental shelf beyond 200nm in the Bay of Biscay (jointly with France, Ireland and Spain), and around Ascension Island. This has been done in accordance with Article 76 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Group of Twenty: London Summit

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of hosting the G20 Summit in London in April 2009.

Gillian Merron: The financial crisis of autumn 2008, affecting banking systems, is now a global economic crisis, impacting upon jobs and livelihoods. No one, country can resolve this crisis alone.
	International co-operation and the London G20 summit is essential as it will bring together leaders of the world's major economies and key international institutions.
	With the global economic situation continuing to deteriorate our goal for the London G20 summit is for Leaders to take whatever action is necessary to stabilise financial markets and enable families and business to get through the recession; reform and strengthen the global financial and economic system to restore confidence and trust; and put the global economy on track for sustainable growth.
	The London G20 summit is therefore vitally important on the global stage. The current estimate of the cost to the public purse of just below £19 million, which includes policing and contingency costs, should be considered in this context.

Group of Twenty: London Summit

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of foreign officials likely to attend the G20 summit in London in April 2009.

Gillian Merron: The financial crisis of autumn 2008, affecting banking systems, is now a global economic crisis, impacting upon jobs and livelihoods. No one country can resolve this crisis alone. International co-operation and the London G20 summit is essential as it will bring together leaders of the world's major economies and key international institutions.
	With the global economic situation continuing to deteriorate our goal for the London G20 summit is for leaders to take whatever action is necessary to stabilise financial markets and enable families and business to get through the recession; reform and strengthen the global financial and economic system to restore confidence and trust; and put the global economy on track for sustainable growth.
	The current estimate of foreign officials attending the London G20 summit within the Excel Centre is under 1,000. However, delegations will be supported by accompanying officials and we are currently seeking these numbers from the participating countries.

Guinea-Bissau: Assassination

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the alleged assassination of the President of Guinea-Bissau; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: A spokesman for the interim government of Guinea-Bissau has confirmed that President Viera was assassinated on 2 March 2009.
	The Government have expressed their condolences to the people of Guinea-Bissau and have urged that those responsible be brought to justice. The UN Security Council has issued a statement which condemned the assassinations in the strongest terms. The Government support the Guinea-Bissau interim government's call for elections to take place within 60 days as specified in the constitution.
	We will continue to monitor the situation.

Piracy

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to seek international agreement on mechanisms for  (a) international co-operation to reduce levels of piracy on the high seas and  (b) the prosecution of piracy cases in adjacent states.

Gillian Merron: On 24-25 February 2009, in accordance with the outcomes of the International Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, the UK hosted a working group looking to enhance operational co-operation and co-ordination of the international response to piracy off the Somali coast, including civil/shipping industry, military and regional capability development issues. Delegates from around 30 states/organisations were represented and the outcome of this meeting will be discussed by the Contact Group in Egypt in mid-March 2009.
	In December 2008 the UK signed a memorandum of understanding with Kenya under which the Kenyans have agreed to accept the transfer of captured pirates to conduct their subsequent prosecution. The EU is in the process of confirming a similar
	agreement with Kenya.
	We and the EU are continuing to investigate other potential agreements in the region to secure the effective prosecution of pirates. The wider legal issues relating to piracy are being addressed by the International Contact Group, including through an expert meeting taking place in Vienna on 5 March 2009.

Sudan: Overseas Aid

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assess the effect on those in receipt of aid or assistance from non-governmental organisations of the withdrawal or expulsion of such organisations from  (a) Darfur and  (b) elsewhere in Sudan as a result of the International Criminal Court action against President al-Bashir.

Gillian Merron: The expulsion of 13 major international (and three national) non-governmental organisations will have a devastating impact on levels of humanitarian assistance in Sudan. UN officials have told the UN Security Council this would disrupt up to 50 per cent. of the current humanitarian effort in Darfur.
	Consequences will be most severe in Darfur, but will also affect humanitarian, recovery and development assistance throughout north Sudan, particularly in conflict-affected regions of the Transitional Areas and the East.
	As well as increased risk of disease, malnutrition and deaths, lack of water, food and shelter could increase insecurity, particularly in large, volatile camps like Kalma (90,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs)) and Gereida (130,000 IDPs) in south Darfur. Civil disturbances and mass movement of IDPs seeking help could quickly take the situation out of control.

Sudan: War Crimes

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan of the recent indictment of President Omar al-Bashir; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: It is too early to tell if implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) will be adversely affected by the recent indictment of President Bashir.
	Escalatory reactions in Sudan could present risks to the CPA and we are watching events closely. Both parties to the agreement, the National Congress Party and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement, are aware of the risks posed by a breakdown of the CPA.
	We continue to pursue progress on the political process for Darfur, full deployment of the African Union—United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), provision of humanitarian assistance and the CPA.
	We call on all parties to avoid any escalation that could jeopardise progress on the CPA: it is vital for the people of Sudan that the gains of the last four years of the CPA are not lost.

UN World Conference against Racism

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters he plans to propose for inclusion on the agenda for the Durban II conference in Geneva in April 2009.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 13 March 2009
	The United Kingdom has been active in negotiations for the Durban Review Conference. We have, on several occasions, expressed our view on the Durban Review Conference: we want the conference to forge a collective will to fight against racism in all its forms, in all countries in the world. The Government remain deeply concerned about the draft outcome document.
	We have made numerous drafting proposals for the concluding document, including on the following issues:
	contemporary forms of slavery;
	multiple and aggravated forms of discrimination, including on the grounds of sex, religion or belief, disability, age, sexual orientation and gender reassignment;
	combating anti-Semitism (including through the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the media, the role of law enforcement, statements by national leaders, education);
	Holocaust remembrance and condemning Holocaust denial, including the role of the International Task Force for Holocaust Education Remembrance and Research, the UN and Council of Europe;
	national strategies to promote cohesion and tackle community tension;
	conflict, including inter-ethnic and intra religious or communal violence;
	crimes against humanity, war crimes, ethnic and genocide prevention;
	the use of irregular militia;
	international justice;
	discrimination and victimisation in employment and training, the provision of goods, facilities and services, education, housing and public functions;
	cultural diversity;
	UN institutional issues;
	civil society;
	general duties on public authorities to promote race equality.
	We have also opposed many amendments that we judge would reduce the prospect of consensus, for example on defamation of religions, singling out one particular country for criticism, and language suggesting a hierarchy of victims.

Western Sahara: Politics and Government

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requests the United Nations has made to the power which has responsibility for the administration of the Western Sahara under Article 73 of the UN Charter for the transmission of information under the provisions of that article.

Bill Rammell: On 26 February 1976, Spain informed the UN Secretary-General that as of that date it had terminated its presence in Western Sahara and relinquished its responsibilities over the territory, thus leaving it under the administration of both Morocco and Mauritania in their respective controlled areas. Mauritania withdrew from the Territory in 1979 and since then Morocco has administered a substantial part of the territory of Western Sahara alone.
	Morocco however, is not listed as the administering power of the territory in the UN list of non-self-governing territories, and has therefore not transmitted, or been asked to transmit, information on the territory in accordance with Article 73E of the Charter of the UN.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to answer question 251285, tabled on 22 January 2009, on departmental ICT; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The question was answered on 12 March 2009,  Official Report, column 623W. The delay in replying was due to administrative error.

Zimbabwe: Asylum

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1417W, on Zimbabwe: asylum, what the three most recent occasions were on which he reminded the Zimbabwean authorities of their legal commitment to pay the pensions of former employees of the Southern Rhodesian Government and other Zimbabwean pensioners; and with whom the matter was discussed on each occasion.

Gillian Merron: We continue to remind the Zimbabwean authorities of their legal commitment to pay the pensions of former employees of the Southern Rhodesian Government and other Zimbabwean pensioners. We raised this issue twice in October 2008: on 17 October 2008 at a meeting with Mr. S. J. Mnkandla of the Pensions Department, Zimbabwean Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and on 29 October 2008 in a follow-up letter to the same. A prior meeting was held with Mr. Mnkandla in September 2006 at which the issue was also raised.

TREASURY

Bradford and Bingley

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government is placed above Bradford and Bingley subordinated bondholders in the rankings for settlement.

Ian Pearson: The position of the Treasury, and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) reflects the normal creditor hierarchy.
	The Treasury and the FSCS provided approximately £18 billion of funding to enable all retail deposits held in Bradford and Bingley to be transferred to Abbey National plc. Given that this funding replaced retail deposits, the rights of the Treasury and the FSCS in respect of the proceeds of the wind-down and the realisation of Bradford and Bingley's assets rank ahead of subordinated creditors, in the same way that the rights of retail depositors would have been senior to subordinated creditors.
	The Treasury also has a claim on the proceeds of the wind-down as Bradford and Bingley's sole shareholder. This claim ranks below the claim of subordinated creditors, in the same way that it is usual for equity to rank below subordinated debt.

EU Grants and Loans

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the 10 largest compensation payments made by the European Commission in respect of the UK in 2008 were.

Ian Pearson: Information on the 2008 budget allocations for the compensation budget heading may be found at:
	http://ec.europa.eu/budget/library/publications/budget_in_fig/syntchif_2008_en.pdf
	This budget heading now provides temporary measures foreseen in the accession treaties with Romania and Bulgaria, and the details of individual transactions made from this budget heading are held by the European Commission.

European Defence Agency: Finance

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid from the public purse in respect of UK contributions to the European Defence Agency in each year since the Agency was established.

Quentin Davies: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave on 6 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1856W.

European Investment Bank

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what bonuses were paid to staff of the European Investment Bank in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Chairman of the European Investment Bank on the effect on the Bank of recent turbulence in financial markets.

Ian Pearson: The European Investment Bank (EIB) does not publish data on bonuses paid to its staff. EIB does however maintain a policy of not rewarding its management committee with bonuses.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer meets with President Maystadt from time to time, including in the margins of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN). The EIB's financial position is reviewed by the bank's board, of which, the UK director to the EIB is a member. The EIB indicates that it is well placed in the current economic and financial conditions.

Excise Duties: Gaming Machines

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects on revenue from amusement machine licence duty of closures of  (a) adult gaming centres and  (b) family entertainment centres in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how much amusement machine licence duty was paid on licences for  (a) category B2 and  (b) category B3 gaming machines in the last year for which information is available; and what his assessment is of the extraction rates from each category of machine;
	(3)  how much revenue was generated by amusement machine licence duty in 2007-08; and how much revenue he estimates will be generated by the duty in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Stephen Timms: The total annual and monthly receipts from amusement machine licence duty can be found in the HM Revenue and Customs Betting and Gaming Statistical Bulletin, which is available from the HMRC website address at:
	http://www.uktradeinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?task=bullbett
	Information on amusement machine licence duty broken down by the type of premises where gaming machines are located is not available.
	In 2007-08, it is estimated that category B2 machines paid around £60 million in amusement machine licence duty and category B3 machines paid around £10 million in amusement machine licence duty.
	No estimates are available of extraction rates from each category of machine.
	Betting and Gaming duty revenue forecasts are aggregated and published as a single series in table B13 of the latest pre-Budget report, at the following link:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/pbr08_annexb_262.pdf
	Disaggregated estimates for individual duties within the overall revenue forecast for Betting and Gaming duties are not available.

Excise Duties: Gaming Machines

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether he is considering the introduction of fiscal measures to assist gaming machine manufacturers; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will take steps to simplify and reduce the compliance costs for operators of the present system of amusement machine licence duty; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Government keeps all taxes under review including Amusement Machine Licence Duty (AMLD). Any decisions on AMLD will be taken at Budget, alongside all tax and spending decisions.

LGT Group

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many actions for recovery have been initiated by his Department on the basis of the disclosure of information from LGT Bank in the last five years.

Stephen Timms: HMRC continue to investigate the complex tax arrangements of those individuals who have assets and income within Liechtenstein. We have commenced investigations into the affairs of 155 individuals.

Mapeley

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) HM Revenue and Customs and  (b) Valuation Office Agency properties were (i) occupied under contract with and (ii) provided with facilities management services by Mapeley at the end of each year since 2002.

Stephen Timms: Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise entered into the Strategic Transfer of the Estate to the Private Sector (STEPS) contract, a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) outsourcing deal, with Mapeley in April 2001. Following the merger of the two departments in April 2005 the contract is now operated by HMRC.
	The table below shows the total number of properties that were  (a) occupied under the contract with Mapeley and  (b) provided with facilities management services by Mapeley at the end of each year since 2002.
	
		
			  Year to  (a) occupied under contract with Mapeley  (b) provided with facilities management services by Mapeley 
			 31 December 2002 576 712 
			 31 December 2003 559 687 
			 31 December 2004 541 702 
			 31 December 2005 513 667 
			 31 December 2006 501 722 
			 31 December 2007 484 700 
			 31 December 2008 461 677

Members: Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter dated 1 February 2009 from the right hon. Member for Banff and Buchan on his constituent Mr. Murray of Banff.

Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues, there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Financial Services Secretary hopes to be in a position to reply to the right hon. Member shortly.

Performing Arts

John Mason: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has engaged any  (a) actors,  (b) musicians and  (c) other performers to support its initiatives over the last five years.

Stephen Timms: Actors have occasionally been commissioned to contribute to training programmes organised by the Treasury. Information is not held centrally on other commissions to actors, or on commissions to musicians or other performers.

Revenue and Customs: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the merits of allocating outstanding work on tax credits to the HM Revenue and Customs office in Chorley.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs has no plans to move tax credits work to its office in Chorley.

Revenue and Customs: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which office work currently undertaken at HM Revenue and Customs office in Chorley will be undertaken when the Chorley office closes.

Stephen Timms: Enquiry Centre services will continue to be provided in Chorley, either in the existing building or one nearby.
	All the other work remaining in Chorley will eventually be transferred to other strategic locations where HMRC will be consolidating customer-operations and compliance work. Exactly how and where the work will be moved is still being planned.
	Staff in Chorley who cannot relocate to another office will continue to do suitable work, though it may not be the work they are doing now, until redeployment options have been found for them.

Revenue and Customs: North West

Greg Pope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of closing  (a) Chorley,  (b) Burnley and  (c) Accrington HM Revenue and Customs office.

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effects on its expenditure of the closure of Lancaster Tax Office in the first 12 months following closure, broken down by budget heading.

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate HM Revenue and Customs has made of the cost to the public purse of closing its office in  (a) Chorley,  (b) Blackburn and  (c) St. Helens.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office closures are part of a wider programme of departmental restructuring in the interests of greater efficiency.
	There will be short-term costs, including staff redeployment costs, associated with the closure of offices, but reliable figures will only be established once solutions have been found for all staff and the accommodation has been vacated.
	Business restructuring will lead to substantial, long-term savings through business efficiencies as well as from a reduction in the size of HMRC's estate.

Sustainable Development: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of funding for economic recovery stimulus packages being allocated in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire is for environmentally-friendly technologies and companies.

Stephen Timms: The Government announced at PBR a £535 million green stimulus to support low carbon growth and jobs and support programmes such as Warm Front and Decent Homes that include the installation of thermal insulation and efficient heating technologies, to save energy and cut CO2 emissions. This funding is being allocated at national—rather than local—level.
	The green stimulus included £100 million of new funding for Warm Front, in addition to £50 million funding brought forward. For the current year, 2008-09, £50 million of the new stimulus funding was added to Warm Front funding, making a total for the year of £395 million. Between 1 April 2008 and 25 January 2009, over £346 million of this money had been spent, with 11 per cent. of households assisted located in the East of England region, which includes Hertfordshire.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the merits of increasing the proportion of the training costs of adult apprentices paid by employers.

Si�n Simon: It is a key principle of Government funding of adult learning that there is a shared responsibility on the part of learners, employers and the Government to contribute towards the cost of learning. The Skills Strategy White Paper 21(st) Century Skills: Realising our Potential (published in July 2003) set out our intention that employers and learners should contribute towards the cost of their course, in light of the returns they derive from learning. Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances (March 2006) confirmed our intention to increase learner and/or employer fee contributions to 50 per cent. by 2010/11 for those not eligible for free provision. Lord Leitch's Review of Skills (December 2006) reaffirmed the importance for a shared responsibility to invest in skills with employers and learners asked to contribute most where they see the greatest private returns. We are therefore increasing private fee contributions for both employers and learners from 42.5 per cent. in 2008/09, to 47.5 per cent. for 2009/10 and 50 per cent. for 2010/11.
	Apprenticeship funding rates for adults therefore are lower than rates for young people aged 16-18, with employers expected to contribute to the total cost of an adult apprenticeship framework.
	Employer contributions to the cost of adult apprenticeships may be in cash to the training provider or in kind through supporting the delivery of the training activity.

Departmental Absenteeism

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many staff of his Department were recorded absent for non-medical reasons on  (a) 2 February 2009 and  (b) 3 February 2009; what estimate he has made of the (i) cost to his Department and (ii) number of working hours lost as a result of such absence; and what guidance his Department issued to staff in respect of absence on those days.

Si�n Simon: The Department issued guidance to staff on the days in question, advising them to make reasonable efforts to come into work and, if this was not possible, to work from home where possible. All DIUS staff are issued with laptops and our telephony enables remote working. Staff were also told to take account of local advice in the light of weather conditions and travel arrangements.
	Absences were handled locally by managers and information was not collected centrally on those unable to work. Therefore, the information on staff numbers, costs and working hours lost could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what auditing his Department undertakes to ensure that IT security policies are being followed; and on how many occasions  (a) IT security policies have been breached by employees and  (b) a member of staff has been sanctioned for a breach of such policies in the last 12 months.

Si�n Simon: Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HMG. The Security Policy Framework, the Data Handling Report and the National Information Assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that government handles and put in place a set of mandatory measures which departments must adhere to.
	Compliance arrangements comprise a system of self assessment, accreditation, assurance reporting, audit and review. IT security policies are enforced by the system configuration wherever possible. These arrangements are in accordance with the relevant guidelines, code of connection and standards. In the last 12 months there have been no recorded instances where the IT security policies have been broken by employees, and no instances where a member of staff has been sanctioned for a breach of IT security policies.

Departmental Internet

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much has been spent on the recent redesign of his Department's website.

Si�n Simon: The cost of the recent redesign of the website for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was 105,166.66 plus VAT.
	The website costs include the ability to host the websites of DIUS partners who will be moving their websites to the DIUS site as part of Transformational Government.

English Language: Education

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 55-6W, on English language: education, how many colleges or schools received funding to deliver courses on English for speakers of other languages in 2008-09; how those colleges or schools were selected; and in what regions they are located.

Si�n Simon: With regard to colleges the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) provides funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) to Further Education colleges as part of their overall allocation for adult learning. 297 colleges received funding to deliver courses in ESOL in 2008/09, spread across all nine regions.
	Colleges funded by the LSC to deliver ESOL courses are selected by the same process as other FE provision. The process for agreeing allocations to colleges begins with the LSC's annual Statement of Priorities document which sets out the key policy and investment priorities for the FE sector. Each LSC region produces a Regional Commissioning Statement which sets out the totality of provision to be secured in each region for the next academic year and which sets national priorities in a regional context.
	On the basis of the priorities and investment set out in these documents, the LSC then enters a commissioning process with its current college base to secure provision for the next academic year. In some regions, where there has been a strategic need to meet gaps in provision or to improve quality, ESOL provision has been tendered. The LSC commissions with colleges in light of their performance, the quality of their delivery, their capacity and capability, including their financial health. Allocations and contracts are then agreed with colleges based on a planning assumption of the volumes the college will deliver.
	Contracts are monitored regularly and robustly for all provision and increases or decreases applied to delivery volumes where appropriate. Other providers including local authorities and private training providers may also receive funds for ESOL provision.
	In regard to schools they must ensure that all their pupils develop as competent and confident speakers and writers of English.
	Local authorities receive funding through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG) to provide support for minority ethnic pupils and pupils with English as an Additional Language, who are at risk of underachieving. EMAG is a ring-fenced grant which is distributed to authorities on a formula basis. While local authorities might retain 15 per cent. of their allocation to support central services, they may devolve the remaining 85 per cent. to schools. The grant is around 187 million in 2008-09 and will continue to rise to 207 million by 2010-11.
	Schools, through discussion with their community, can offer a range of services which members of the community may choose to take part in, one of those may be the offer of ESOL-type learning. However, it would not be possible to quantify the extent or take up of that offer.

Further Education: Finance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what progress has been made on implementing supported borrowing for post-16 specialist colleges.

Si�n Simon: Neither the Department nor the Learning and Skills Councilwhich has responsibility for commissioning and funding post-16 education and trainingare in the process of implementing supported borrowing for post-16 specialist colleges.

Medicine: Higher Education

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  what response his Department has made to recent representations it has received from the Medical Schools Council and Dental Schools Council on visas for overseas medical and dental undergraduate students;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of proposals to restrict the duration of student visas to four years from March 2009 on current undergraduates on  (a) dental,  (b) medical and  (c) architecture courses.

David Lammy: International students are a very important part of the higher education landscape in this country and the Government are keen to continue to welcome them here. Following discussions with the UK Border Agency, I am pleased to be able to say that it has been agreed that the existing policy whereby visas for international students are awarded for the length of students' courses will continue to operate when the student tier of the Points Based System for managed migration is phased in from March 2009. This decision was announced at the Joint Education Taskforce meeting on 26 February. It means that international students studying longer courses such as medicine, dentistry and architecture will not need to renew their visas part way through their courses.

Postgraduate Education: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people from Enfield North constituency entered postgraduate education in each of the last 11 years.

David Lammy: The latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency is shown in the table. Figures for the 2008/09 academic year will be available in January 2010.
	
		
			  Postgraduate entrants( 1)  from Enfield, North parliamentary constituency( 2)  UK higher education institutions( 3) academic years 1997/98 to 2007/08 
			  Academic year  Entrants 
			 1997/98 185 
			 1998/99 255 
			 1999/2000 225 
			 2000/01 215 
			 2001/02 235 
			 2002/03 250 
			 2003/04 275 
			 2004/05 270 
			 2005/06 250 
			 2006/07 260 
			 2007/08 270 
			 (1) Covers entrants to both full-time and part-time postgraduate courses. (2) Parliamentary constituency is defined by full and valid home postcodes. (3) Excludes the Open University due to inconsistencies in their coding of entrants over the time series.  Note: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December and have been rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Students: Loans

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  how many students domiciled in the EU but not in the UK have loans with the Student Loans Company;
	(2)  how much owed by students domiciled in the EU but not in the UK is  (a) due to have been repaid to the Student Loans Company and  (b) due to have been repaid but not been received by the Student Loans Company;
	(3)  how many students domiciled in the EU but not in the UK are  (a) due to have begun loan repayments to the Student Loans Company and  (b) due to have begun loan repayments to the Student Loans Company but have not done so.

David Lammy: EU students became eligible for tuition fee loans when they were introduced in 2006/07. Provisional figures published in table 2 (iii) of the Student Loans SFR issued in June 2008 show that 16,890 EU students studying in England have taken out a tuition fee loan with the Student Loans Company. The SFR is accessible at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000797/index.shtml
	The first full cohort of EU borrowers will graduate this summer, and will become due to start repaying their loans from April 2010. However, a small number have left their courses early, and become due to repay. As at 31 March 2008, 130 EU Student Loans customers studying in England were liable to start repaying their loan, provided their earnings were above the earnings threshold.
	Of these students:
	30 customers were known to be due to repay, and started to do so. The amount due to be repaid by 31 March 2008 (excluding the amounts due for repayment via Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) which are not yet known) is less than 10,000.
	10 customers were not due to repay as they were unemployed or their earnings were below the relevant earnings threshold.
	It was not possible, as at 31 March 2008, to determine if 100 customers were due to repay or not. This group includes those where the first tax year's earnings (and hence repayment liability) had not yet been passed from the employer to HMRC to SLC. It also includes those who were resident overseas and the earnings details were still needed to determine whether repayment should start.
	 Note
	Following usual statistical practice, figures have been rounded to the closed 10 so the breakdown figures will not add up to 130 as shown in the second paragraph. It is not currently possible to disclose information for the period after 31 March 2008. This is because, following National Statistics protocol, the statistics are under embargo until their publication in the Statistical First Release due in summer 2009.

Students: Loans

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many graduates are continuing to repay mortgage-style student loans taken out before 1998.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education on 10 September 2008,  Official Report, column 1939-41W. The latest published figures on numbers of graduates continuing to repay pre-1998 mortgage-style student loans is laid out by category as part of the answer to your previous question 220225.
	The response remains the same because the information is based on figures prepared for the most recent annual Statistical First Release. It is not currently possible to disclose information for the period after 31 March 2008 because, following National Statistics protocol, the statistics for the period ended 31 March 2009 will be embargoed until their publication in the Statistical First Release due in June/July 2009.

Vocational Training: Car Industry

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what training schemes are available to car component company staff who have lost their jobs owing to reductions in car production during the economic downturn.

Si�n Simon: Train to Gain are the Government's flagship service to support employers in England of all sizes and in all sectors, to invest in the future productivity and profitability of their businesses by investing in the skills of their employees.
	A compact agreed between my Department and SEMTA, the sector skills council covering all aspects of motor vehicle manufacturing, offers employers tailored Train to Gain funding and support to meet their specific training needs. The funding for this compact has been increased from 65 million to 100 million over three years, subject to employer demand.
	New flexibility has also been introduced for people who have been given notice of redundancy, or who are returning to work after unemployment. They can now access full funding for repeat level 2 qualifications and partial funding for repeat level 3 qualifications irrespective of the size of their employer.
	From April 2009, a new package of pre-employment support will also be available. People made redundant will be offered a fully-funded range of customised skills activity of two to eight weeks' duration designed to help them into sustainable employment. For people who have been employed for over six months, we are making 83 million available for around 75,000 high-quality training places over the next two years.
	Employers can contact a skills broker to find out the support that their business can access through Train to Gain. Brokers, providers and the LSC will work with each individual employer to quickly put together a comprehensive training package tailored to the size and type of company, drawing on all available funding streams.

Vocational Training: Prisons

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what arrangements have been made for the provision of vocational training courses within prisons.

Si�n Simon: Providing vocational training for prisoners is a key part of the Government's strategy to reduce reoffending. Developing the skills prisoners need to get jobs on release will enable them to secure employment, and employment is one of the key factors that lead to reduced reoffending.
	Through the Offender Learning and Skills Service, the Learning and Skills Council provides a broad range of vocational training courses in prisons across England. As the Learning and Skills Council introduces its core curriculum into adult prisons this summer, 80 per cent. of its learning and skills spend will be focused on employability skills, the core functional skills (including literacy and numeracy) and accredited vocational qualifications.
	The Prison Service also delivers accredited vocational training to prisoners undertaking regime activities such as catering, cleaning, horticulture, waste management and physical education, and who are working in prison industries.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Children: Maintenance

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many absent parents who are self-employed were subject to court action by the Child Support Agency in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what percentage of such cases resulted in  (a) a court order requiring payments to be made to the parent with care and  (b) such payments being made.

Kitty Ussher: I have consulted with the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission who have confirmed that the information requested is not available.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many absent parents who are self-employed were subject to court action by the Child Support Agency in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what percentage of such cases resulted in (a) a court order requiring payments to be made to the parent with care and (b) such payments actually being made.
	Information on the total number of enforcement actions the Child Support Agency has pursued through the courts is routinely published in Table 21 of the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics. The latest copy of which is in the House of Commons library or online at the following link:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/publications/statistics.html
	Unfortunately the information that you have requested relating to self-employed non-resident parents is not available as the information held centrally relating to enforcement actions does not distinguish between the employment status of the non-resident parent.
	I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many calls have been received by the Child Maintenance Options helpline in each month since it became operational;
	(2)  how many calls to the Child Maintenance Options helpline have been  (a) answered and  (b) abandoned in each month since it became operational;
	(3)  what the average time was to answer a call to the Child Maintenance Options helpline in each month since it became operational;
	(4)  what the average duration of calls to the Child Maintenance Options helpline was in each month since it became operational.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about child maintenance, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions:
	; and
	; and
	; and
	What the average duration of calls to the Child Maintenance Options helpline was in each month since it became operational.
	The information you requested is provided in the attached table, from which you will see that a consistently high level of service is being offered to clients of Child Maintenance Options.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Child maintenance options , 2008 
			   July ( 5)  August  September  October  November  December 
			 Calls Received(1,2) 3,800 3,800 4,600 5,400 5,800 3,900 
			 Calls Answered(1) 3,700 3,800 4500 5300 5,600 3,800 
			 Calls Abandoned(3,4) 100 85 100 115 155 90 
			 Calls Abandoned as a percentage of calls received 3 2 2 2 3 2 
			 Average time to answer(3) (seconds) 10 5 10 10 15 15 
			 Average duration of call(3) (seconds) 420 460 455 435 400 405 
			 (1) Figures for the calls received and the number of calls answered are rounded to the nearest 100. (2) Calls received exclude those outside working hours. (3) Figures for the number of calls abandoned, average time to answer a call and the average duration of calls are rounded to the nearest five. (4) Calls abandoned are those who have listened to the initial greeting and then: have had a short call and hung up while speaking to an agent; have hung up before speaking to an agent; or have hung up while in a queue. (5) Figures for July include those from the prototype phase of the service as well as the live running from 14 July onwards.

Children: Maintenance

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications the Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission has made to the courts for the confiscation of  (a) passports and  (b) driving licences in the last 12 months; and how many confiscations there have been.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 17 March 2009
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Vauxhall (Kate Hoey) on 24 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 622-23W.

Community Care Grants

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will review the operation of the savings rule of housing renewal exclusions in community care grants.

Kitty Ussher: Community care grants can only be made for minor household repairs and improvements. The community care grant savings rule applies to all grant awards, which means that all savings over a set limit are fully taken into account against the amount of an award. Currently the limit is 500 where the applicant and their partner is under 60 years of age, and 1,000 where the applicant or their partner is 60 years of age or over. There are no plans to review this rule.

Council Tax

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times deductions have been made from benefits for non-payment of council tax in each local authority area since August 2007; and how many claimants have had deductions made from their  (a) pension credit,  (b) jobseeker's allowance and  (c) income support for not paying council tax in each local authority area since August 2007.

Kitty Ussher: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 25 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 791-92W.

Departmental Consultants

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many expert advisers, excluding special advisers, have been commissioned by his Department since June 2007; and on which topics they have advised.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1402W.

Departmental Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has allocated for staff bonuses in 2008-09.

Jonathan R Shaw: Of the total pay bill, less than 1 per cent. has been used for non-consolidated performance payments to staff during 2008-9. These payments are funded from within the existing pay bill. The payments do not add to future pay bill costs.
	DWP employees in pay bands below the Senior Civil Service are eligible for non-consolidated performance pay if they attain a Top, Higher or Majority rating under the annual performance and development system. The amount of non-consolidated performance pay is differentiated on the basis of an employee's pay band and the performance level achieved.
	For the Senior Civil Service, non-consolidated performance pay is determined on an individual basis by the relevant DWP SCS Pay Committee. The size of the available pot is based on recommendations by the independent Senior Salaries Review Body.
	Performance awards are payable in July and are attributable to performance in the previous financial year. In the 2008-09 financial year 23.32 million was paid in July 2008 for performance in the previous year. This is broken down as follows:
	
		
			  Staff bonuses: 2008-09 
			  Pay Band  Total  p aid ( million)  Total number of recipients 
			 Below SCS 21.50 107,518 
			 SCS 1.82 208 
			 Departmental total 23.32 107,726 
		
	
	 In-Year Reward
	Individuals may also be entitled to one-off special payments either as cash or retail vouchers. These are one-off recognition awards, payable at any time during the performance year and are not linked to the annual pay award.
	Up to 0.25 per cent. of staff budget is allocated to fund special payments and in 2008-09 this equates to 6.33 million. In 2007-08 2.7 million was paid in cash payments and 1.77 million in retail vouchers.

Departmental Public Appointments

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department holds on the number of persons appointed to executive positions in bodies for which his Department has responsibility in the last five years who previously had careers in the banking industry.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Funeral Payments

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Social Fund funeral payments were awarded where the claim for other funeral expenses was under 700 in the latest year for which figures are available.

Kitty Ussher: The information requested is not available. A funeral payment claim is said to be 'capped' if the amount claimed for non-specified funeral expenses is more than 700. In 2007-08, in Great Britain, of those claims which satisfied the eligibility conditions, the number of claims which were not capped was 2,160. After the amounts payable for specified and non-specified funeral expenses have been determined, deductions are made for any money immediately available from the deceased's estate, payments from funeral plans and contributions received (but the claimant's savings are not taken into account). As a result of deductions, some eligible claims are refused.
	 Notes:
	1. The figure is based on initial decisions. Re-considerations and appeals have not been taken into account.
	2. The figure has been rounded to the nearest 10.
	 Source:
	DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Wales  (a) applied for and  (b) received assistance under the Support for Mortgage Interest Scheme in January and February 2009; and how much was granted in total.

Kitty Ussher: The information is not available.

Official Engagements

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what official engagements each of the Ministers in his Department undertook from 1 to 31 January 2009; and how much time was spent on each engagement.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 9 February 2009
	I am depositing a table of information in the Library. Accurate information on the length of time spent on each engagement could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Poverty: Children

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent research his Department has conducted into the living standards of children below the poverty line.

Kitty Ussher: The Department for Work and Pensions has recently published three research reports related to the living standards of children in poverty. These are all published in the Department's research report series and are available online.
	Work and well-being over time: lone mothers and their children follows, over four to five years, lone mothers who voluntarily moved into employment, following a period of unemployment in receipt of income support or jobseekers' allowance. This is available at :
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep536.pdf
	Employment transitions and the changes in economic circumstances of families with children explores the impact of movements in and out of paid employment on the economic circumstances and living standards of families with children. This is available at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep506.pdf
	Making decisions about work in one-earner couple households explores the circumstances of low-income couple families with children, where only one parent is in work. This is available at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2009-2010/rrep560.pdf
	The Child Poverty Unit, which the Department for Work and Pensions co-sponsors, has two research projects currently in progress which specifically look at the living standards of children living in poverty.
	The first is a review of all existing research on the views and experiences of poverty of deprived children and families. The second is analysis of existing survey data, to provide information on the living standards of children below the poverty line. This project examines their standards of living using measures such as level of expenditure, material deprivation, ownership of consumer durables, condition of housing, and presence of financial difficulties.
	Reports of these projects will be published in the Department's research report series and will be made available online.

Poverty: Children

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to include targets on reductions in child poverty for local authorities in local area agreements.

Kitty Ussher: Child poverty is already reflected in the National Indicator Set (Indicator 116Numbers of children in households dependent on out of work benefits). Local authorities can therefore choose to select child poverty as a target in their local area agreement and 45 have already done so. The Government are already committed to refining this indicator to ensure that low income families are included in this measure. But we need to do more to ensure that all delivery partners prioritise child poverty and take action.
	That is why the Government published the child poverty consultation document on 28 January. It set out options for driving forward action to tackle child poverty and asked how best to support local authorities and their partners. The consultation closed on 11 March. We are currently considering the responses to ensure we design support effectively and will respond in due course.

Poverty: North East

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency qualified for cold weather payments between October 2008 and January2009.

Kitty Ussher: Estimates of the number of people who qualified for cold weather payments between October 2008 and January 2009 are not available by constituency, but only by weather station.
	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency is covered by postcodes TS3-5, 7-9,11-14 and 17. Postcode TS9 is linked to Linton on Ouse weather station which has triggered twice so far this winter. The remaining postcode sectors are linked to Loftus weather station which has triggered once so far this winter. All triggers are based on those notified up to 11 March 2009, though the last trigger was notified on 16 February 2009.

Social Fund

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent version of Jobcentre Plus's Social Fund Work Status Report statistics.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 12 January 2009
	Jobcentre Plus's social fund work status reports are an internal management tool. They are produced weekly and are a snap shot of how much work is outstanding in order to help manage the business.
	Work status reports are clerical statistics and are collated weekly at national level to provide management with information on the current levels of work in benefit delivery centres. This enables Jobcentre Plus to promptly move work around the network if needed rather than waiting for the monthly computer produced figures.
	Outstanding cases in each benefit delivery centre are clerically counted, collated at regional level and regional returns are then turned into the national picture. These are not robust enough to use as official data. It is therefore not appropriate for a copy of the work status report to be placed in the Library.
	Verified data are published in the annual report by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the Social Fund 2007-08, a copy of which is in the Library. It is also available on the Department's website at:
	www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2008/2008-annual-report-social-fund.pdf

Social Fund

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much lent under the  (a) budgeting loans and ( b) crisis loan scheme in each of the last three financial years has been written off.

Kitty Ussher: The amounts written off under the budgeting loans scheme for awards within the last three financial years are:
	
		
			  000 
			   Written off in :  
			  Year of award  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  Total 
			 2005-06 5 251 257 513 
			 2006-07  11 102 113 
			 2007-08   8 8 
			  
			 Total 5 262 367 634 
		
	
	The amounts written off under the crisis loan scheme for awards within the last three financial years are:
	
		
			  000 
			   Written off in :  
			  Year of award  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  Total 
			 2005-06 3 48 86 137 
			 2006-07  4 29 33 
			 2007-08   4 4 
			  
			 Total 3 52 119 174

Social Rented Housing

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to remove people under the age of 25 years from the purview of the single room rent regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: We have no plans to abolish the single room rent, which is designed to ensure that the level of housing benefit for single young people is based on the size and type of accommodation that they would typically occupy and, importantly, be able to afford.

Social Security Benefits

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what formula his Department uses to calculate  (a) council tax benefit and  (b) housing benefit entitlement.

Kitty Ussher: While the Department is responsible for housing benefit (HB) and council tax benefit (CTB) legislation, both benefits are administered by local authorities. There are no formulae, but the assessment processes are set out in the Housing Benefit Regulations and the Council Tax Benefit Regulations.
	The calculation of entitlement to HB looks at how much a person should pay towards their rent, assessed against their income and circumstances.
	The maximum HB that can be paid is the full amount of the customer's eligible rent. This is the amount of the rent which the legislation says can be covered by housing benefit, and may not be the same as the full rent charge.
	From April 2008 local housing allowance (LHA) has been rolled out nationally in the private rented sector. LHA has changed the way HB is calculated, so it is not just based on the rent, but on a flat rate amount which is determined by factors such as the area someone lives in and the household size.
	For private tenants not yet on LHA, the local authority has to decide the eligible rent. To do this, they have to look at whether:
	the amount of rent is reasonable for that particular property;
	the property is a reasonable size for the customer and their family;
	the amount of rent is reasonable for the area the property is in;
	the rent includes any charges which cannot be covered by HB.
	In a similar way, the calculation of CTB will depend upon the liability for council tax as well as individuals' personal circumstances.
	For these reasons, it is not possible to provide formulae in the way envisaged in the question.
	People receiving the guarantee credit element of pension credit, income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or income-related employment and support allowance are deemed to have no income or capital and they receive maximum HB band/or CTB (subject to any standard deductions for any non-dependant household member).
	People not receiving the income-related benefits listed above will have their HB and CTB assessed on the basis of an applicable amount. The amount is made up of personal allowances and premiums. The personal allowances vary according to age and whether a person is single or one of a married or unmarried couple. The premiums are awarded to those groups identified as having extra needs, for example, long term sick or disabled people and elderly people. The applicable amounts are uprated every April and the current rates are in The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/632).
	If net income is equal to or is less than the applicable amount, the customer will receive an amount equal to 100 per cent. of their eligible rent and/or council tax liability less any non-dependant deductions. If net income is more than the applicable amount, the customer will get less HB/CTB. For each pound of extra income over the applicable amount, an adjustment of 65 pence will be made in HB and 20 pence will be made in CTB (these are the HB and CTB tapers).
	In addition, anyone with savings, investments and other capital valued at more than 16,000 will not normally qualify for HB or CTB. Capital of 6,000 or less is ignored. Capital of between 6,000 and 16,000 will be deemed to provide a weekly income of 1 for every 250 (or part thereof) if the person is aged less than 60, or 1 for every 500 (or part thereof) if they are 60 or over.

Social Security Benefits: Ex-servicemen

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many ex-servicemen are claiming  (a) jobseeker's allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, or employment and support allowance and  (c) income support, broken down by duration of claim;
	(2)  how many ex-servicemen have claimed  (a) jobseeker's allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, or employment and support allowance and  (c) income support in each month of the last two years for which information is available;
	(3)  how many ex-servicemen have claimed  (a) jobseeker's allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or employment and support allowance and  (c) income support in each year since 1997 for which information is available.

Tony McNulty: The information is not available.
	It is not possible to identify ex-servicemen who have made a claim to jobseeker's allowance, incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, employment and support allowance or income support or who are currently in receipt of these benefits. This is because details of former occupations are not recorded on the DWP benefit computer systems.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the timeframe for UK ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Jonathan R Shaw: It is my ambition to ratify the convention in the spring, subject to the satisfactory conclusion of the necessary parliamentary processes. We have made good progress and the explanatory memorandum and Command Paper for ratification were laid before Parliament on 3 March. An order to specify the convention as a European community treaty under Section 1(3) of the 1972 European Communities Act has been laid today.
	Progressing to this stage, along with the signing of the optional protocol to the UN convention on 27 February, demonstrates the Government's firm commitment both to the UN convention and to the principle that it enshrines that disabled people have, and should enjoy, the same human rights as other people.

Vocational Training: Lone Parents

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has undertaken into the reasons that lone parents do not take up voluntary progression to work support offered by Jobcentre Plus.

Kitty Ussher: A series of evaluations have been undertaken into lone parent programmes and provision.
	In 2007, a study of the reasons for non-participation in the New Deal for Lone Parents, the voluntary programme of support for lone parents provided through Jobcentre Plus, was undertaken by independent research contractors BMRB. Specifically, the research aimed to explore: awareness and knowledge of the New Deal for Lone Parents programme; experience and views of the introduction of New Deal for Lone Parents via the Work Focused Interview; reactions to the programme, and; the decision making processes involved in non-participation.
	A copy of the research, 'New Deal for Lone Parents: non-participation qualitative research report No. 408', has been placed in the Library.

JUSTICE

Alternatives to Prison

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps his Department has taken to develop alternatives to custody.

David Hanson: The Criminal Justice Act 2003 has provided sentencers with a flexible community order for adult offenders that can deliver a tough and effective alternative to custody. In addition, the Government have: (i) invested since March 2008 in seven intensive alternative to custody demonstrator projects to run for three years and provide courts with enhanced community sentencing options; and (ii) announced on 13 February 2009 investment of 15.6 million over two years to divert vulnerable women, who are not serious or dangerous offenders, from custody.
	For young offenders, the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP) caters for serious and persistent young offenders who might otherwise be sent to prison, and the Intensive Fostering Programme is a specialised, highly intensive alternative to custody for serious and persistent young offenders whose offending behaviour is directly affected by their home surroundings.
	Adult offenders sentenced to Community Payback have, since 1 December 2008, been required to wear distinctive high visibility clothing to ensure that members of the public are aware when Community Payback by offenders is taking place. Intensive Community Payback of a minimum of 18 hours per week over three days is now available in all probation areas for offenders convicted of knife crime offences.

Appeals: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of sentences imposed in magistrates courts in  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland constituency were appealed against to the Crown Court in each year since 1997.

Bridget Prentice: Information is available on the number of offenders sentenced and the number of appeals against sentences from 1997 to 2007, which is set out in the following table. It is not possible to calculate a percentage between these two methods of counting, as one counts 'offenders' and the other 'offences'.
	The data for Copeland are reported within two other districts of the Cumbria area (Whitehaven and Furness, and district) and are therefore unavailable separately.
	
		
			  Cumbria 
			   Total sentenced  Total appealed against sentence( 1) 
			 1997 16,508 54 
			 1998 15,858 119 
			 1999 15,334 112 
			 2000 13,142 112 
			 2001 10,975 118 
			 2002 10,812 121 
			 2003 14,447 82 
			 2004 14,967 89 
			 2005 14,458 109 
			 2006 14,673 119 
			 2007 14,828 135 
			 (1) Figures include appeals against both conviction and sentence.

Banking

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what information his Department holds on the monetary value of financial deposits in each Crown dependency.

Michael Wills: The Crown dependencies have their own directly elected legislative assemblies, administrative, fiscal and legal systems. The Ministry of Justice does not keep information on the monetary value of financial deposits in the Crown dependencies. However information on the value of financial deposits is collected by each Crown dependency and published on the websites of the Jersey and Guernsey Financial Services Commissions and the Isle of Man Financial Supervision Commission.

Community Orders

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of people on community sentence placements who  (a) will and  (b) will not be required to wear high visibility vests in the next 12 months.

Jack Straw: The policy requiring offenders sentenced to Community Payback to wear distinctive high visibility vests was introduced on 1 December. The vests are worn when work is taking place in the potential view of members of the public. The purpose of the vests is to inform people where Community Payback is taking place. Where beneficiaries request in writing that offenders do not wear high visibility vests, exemptions may be granted by the probation area only where convincing evidence is provided on the basis of health and safety concerns, business risk to the beneficiary or suitability of the placement.
	Probation areas are actively, engaging with beneficiaries with a view to increasing the number of work projects in which distinctive clothing is used. Distinctive clothing is also not used if a risk assessment, endorsed by a senior manager, determines that distinctive clothing would potentially place the public, supervisory staff or offenders at risk. During January almost 70 per cent. of the hours worked by offenders on sites within the scope of the policy were undertaken using distinctive high visibility clothing.
	The actual number of offenders who are required to wear high visibility clothing is not monitored and the cost of obtaining this information would be disproportionate. It is therefore not possible to provide an estimate of the total number of offenders who will be required to wear distinctive clothing during the next 12 months.

Consultants: Expenditure

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what systems are in place in his Department to  (a) monitor and  (b) scrutinise its expenditure on consultancy fees.

Jack Straw: A mandatory process governing the use and procurement of consultants and specialist contractors is in place across the whole of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) allowing for the monitoring of expenditure on consultancy fees. The process requires strict adherence to policy and procedure and includes a clear and strict approvals and assurance process.
	All requirements are vetted and the commercial route approved by a dedicated and qualified team within the procurement directorate in order to ensure compliance with internal policy and EU public procurement regulations. In the majority of cases (and all cases within NOMS (HMPS) that team go on to deliver all contractual requirements.
	The process demands the assignment of a designated contract manager within the business unit. That individual holds responsibility for contractual performance including managing the performance of individual contractors, timely delivery, quality of service, skills transfer and for scrutinising and controlling all costs against the budget and in line with payment mechanism and charging arrangements specified within the contract.

Criminal Proceedings: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of providing the Crown Court Service in Cumbria was in each year since 1997.

Bridget Prentice: Prior to the formation of Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) on 1 April 2005, Crown courts were the responsibility of the Court Service. Consequently, HMCS has no records relating Crown courts prior to 1 April 2005.
	The cost of providing Crown court services in Cumbria for each of the last three years were as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  000 
			 2005-06 1,722 
			 2006-07 1,637 
			 2007-08 1,540

Domestic Violence: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of those convicted for offences in relation to incidents of domestic violence in  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland constituency in each year since 1997 had previous convictions for such offences.

Shahid Malik: The requested information is not available. The Ministry of Justice's extract of data from the Police national computer can provide information on the previous convictions of offenders. However, the database does not enable us to identify offences involving domestic violence.

Driving Offences: Fines

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average fine imposed for  (a) driving without insurance,  (b) failure to stop or report a road accident,  (c) failure to produce insurance certificate,  (d) failure to produce test certificate and  (e) driving otherwise than in accordance with licence was in the last year for which figures are available.

Jack Straw: The average fine imposed for using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks, failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident within 24 hours, and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, in England and Wales for 2007 (latest available) is shown in the following table. Information held on the Court Proceedings Database does not separately identify offences of failure to produce insurance certificate or failure to produce test certificate.
	Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  Average fine imposed at magistrates courts and the Crown court for offences of using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks, failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident within 24 hours, and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, England and Wales, 2007( 1,2,3) 
			  Average fine() 
			  Offence description  Magistrates courts  The Crown court 
			 Using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks 194 204 
			 Failing to stop after an accident 166 231 
			 Failing to report an accident within 24 hours 137 278 
			 Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence 74 162 
			 (1) Includes offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988 s. 143(2), s.170(4) and (7), the Road Traffic Act 1988 s.87 as amended by Road Traffic Act 1991 s.17 and Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1996 R.16. (2) It is known that for some police force areas the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Office for Criminal Justice ReformEvidence and Analysis unit.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps his Department has taken to provide services for those convicted of offences who are dependent on drugs.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has in place a comprehensive framework of interventions addressing drug misuse among offenders.
	In prisons, drug treatment funding has increased year on year since 1996-97up 1.184 per cent. to its current level of 92 million, with record numbers engaging in treatment.
	NOMS, in partnership with Department of Health, has made steps to increase the volume and quality of treatment available to prisoners through introduction of the Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS).
	Implementation of IDTS is progressing well, with all 53 first and second waves of IDTS prisons having an operational service providing all key elements of IDTS clinical services. In 2008-09 a further 38 prison/PCT partnerships have received funding for enhanced clinical drug treatment.
	The Prison Drug Treatment Strategy Review Group, announced last year, has been established to consider recommendations made by PricewaterhouseCoopers in a 2007 report on prison drug treatment. The group, chaired by Professor Lord Kamlesh Patel, sets out to agree a single set of priorities and compile national guidance around the streamlining of the commissioning, delivery, funding and performance management of drug treatment for offenders. Work on the review started in September 2008 and is expected to take two years to complete.
	In the community, Drug Rehabilitation Requirements or DRRsincreasingly have been used as part of community sentences. The Government committed to delivering an additional 1,000 DRRs in 2008-09 compared to 2007-08 targets. NOMS is set to meet this commitment.
	Drug System Change pilots are planned to start in April 2009. These two-year pilots aim to test innovative approaches to delivering improved end-to-end management of drug users, including more effective use of pooled funding and individual budgets, with a sharper focus on achieving positive outcomes for drug users, their families and their communities.

Electoral Register: Commonwealth

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criteria apply for a Commonwealth citizen to be lawfully resident under the Representation of the People Act 1983; and what documents an electoral registration officer requires in order to verify that status.

Michael Wills: Under the Representation of the People Act 1983, qualifying citizens of other Commonwealth countries are entitled to register to vote at UK general and local elections. The eligibility criteria for such citizens define them as being either those who do not require leave to enter or remain under the Immigration Act 1971 or those who do require leave, but for the time being has any description of such leave. Those who meet this definition will have an ink stamp or a residence permit in their national passports showing the length of leave granted, and whether there are any restrictions placed on them during that time. Applications to register may only be made by those entitled to do so, subject to criminal penalties for false information. Where an electoral registration officer has doubts about a person's nationality he may require him to provide a certificate, document or declaration evidencing his status.

European Court of Human Rights

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what cases the Government have lost in the European Court of Human Rights in the last 30 years; and what financial penalties have been paid as a result of such outcomes;
	(2)  what payments his Department and its predecessors have made to legal firms operating on behalf of the Government in European Court of Human Rights cases in the last 30 years.

Michael Wills: All judgments given against the United Kingdom by the European Court of Human Rights and its related bodies, including all awards of just satisfaction, are available online in the court's HUDOC database at:
	http://www.echr.coe.int/ECPIR/EN/Header/Case-Law/HUDOC/HUDOC+database/
	Legal advisers at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office act as agents for the Government in cases against the United Kingdom at the European Court of Human Rights. In general, external firms of solicitors are not engaged, although counsel are instructed in many cases. No central record is kept of payments made to counsel in such cases, and the informationinsofar as it is still extantfor the given period could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

Human Trafficking: Convictions

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been imprisoned following conviction for human trafficking offences in each of the last three years.

Shahid Malik: The available information is shown in the following table; it shows the number of offenders sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence following conviction for a human trafficking offence.
	
		
			  Persons given immediate custodial sentences for human trafficking offences( 1) , 2005-07 
			   Number of offenders 
			 2005 14 
			 2006 20 
			 2007 22 
			 (1) Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 or Sexual offences Act 2003includes offences of trafficking into, within and out of United Kingdom for purposes of exploitation or sexual exploitation. This data is presented on the principle offence basis.  Notes: 1. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. 2. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: OMS Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice

Judiciary: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of supporting the lay magistracy in  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland constituency was in each year since 1997.

Bridget Prentice: Prior to the formation of Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) on 1 April 2005, magistrates courts were the responsibility of individual magistrates courts committees. Consequently, HMCS has no records relating to magistrates or Crown courts prior to 1 April 2005.
	HMCS accounting records reflect HMCS management structure. This does not necessarily reflect HMCS geographical or court structure. As a consequence, it is not possible to accurately identify all costs attributable to specific courts.
	Lay magistracy loss of earnings and travel and subsistence costs in Cumbria for each of the last three years were as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  000 
			 2005-06 145 
			 2006-07 176 
			 2007-08 122

Magistrates Courts: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the provision of the magistrates court service in  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland constituency cost in each year since 1997.

Bridget Prentice: Prior to the formation of Her Majesty's Courts Service on 1 April 2005, magistrates courts were the responsibility of individual magistrates courts committees. Consequently, HMCS does not hold records relating to magistrates or Crown courts prior to 1 April 2005.
	HMCS accounting records reflect HMCS management structure. This does not necessarily reflect HMCS geographical or court structure. As a consequence, it is not possible to identify accurately all costs attributable to specific courts.
	The cost of providing magistrates court services in Cumbria for each of the last three years were as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  000 
			 2005-06 3,490 
			 2006-07 3,731 
			 2007-08 2,940 
		
	
	The cost of district judges costs are not held at court level and have been excluded.

Magistrates Courts: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many trials in magistrates courts in  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland constituency did not take place on the agreed date of the hearing in each year since 1997.

Bridget Prentice: Information is only available on the number of trials that failed to take place on the agreed hearing date in each year since 2003 in the magistrates courts in Cumbria. This information is set out in the following table. The data for Copeland are split and reported within two other districts of the Cumbria area (Whitehaven and Furness, and district) and are therefore unavailable separately.
	
		
			  Period  Total number of trials  Number of trials which did not take place on agreed date 
			 2003-04 1,482 420 
			 2004-05 1,562 415 
			 2005-06 1,668 473 
			 2006-07 1,672 459 
			 2007-08 1,789 541

Offenders: Uniforms

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many beneficiaries of unpaid work have requested that offenders do not wear identifiable clothing.

Jack Straw: In January 2009 a total of 2,501 work projects were operated with offenders wearing distinctive clothing and 310,130 hours were worked on these projects. The majority of these projects will have involved groups of offenders working outdoors. 1,298 unpaid work projects were operated without offenders wearing distinctive clothing at the request of the beneficiary and 111,798 hours were worked on these projects.
	Where beneficiaries request in writing that offenders do not wear high visibility vests, exemptions may be granted by the probation area only where convincing evidence is provided on the basis of health and safety concerns, business risk to the beneficiary or suitability of the placement. Probation areas are actively engaging with these beneficiaries with a view to increasing the number of work projects in which distinctive clothing is used.
	Distinctive clothing is also not used if a risk assessment, endorsed by a senior manager, determines that distinctive clothing would potentially place the public, supervisory staff or offenders at risk. During January almost 70 per cent. of the hours worked by offenders on sites within the scope of the policy were undertaken using distinctive high visibility clothing.

Performing Arts

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has engaged any  (a) actors,  (b) musicians and  (c) other performers to support its initiatives over the last five years.

Shahid Malik: The Ministry of Justice has engaged the following to support its initiatives in the last five years:
	 Actors
	Victims and Witnesses DVD Going to Court in 2007-08
	Domestic Violence DVD You Don't Have to Live in Fear2007-08
	Community Sentencing CD-Rom Judge for Yourself2007-08
	Research report Diversity and fairness in the jury system2005-06
	 Musicians
	18-24 Electoral campaign in 2005-06
	 Other performers
	Nil

Police Custody

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners were held in police or court cells for  (a) two successive nights,  (b) three successive nights and  (c) more than three successive nights in 2008.

Jack Straw: In 2008 court cells were used between the nights of 5 and 28 February on 1,115 occasions. Out of the 1,115 occasions, there have been 192 occasions where a prisoner was held in court cells for two successive nights. There have been no occasions in which a prisoner was held for three or more successive nights in a court cell.
	Although records are kept on the number of occasions prisoners are held in police cells, there is no readily available breakdown on how many prisoners spent more than one night in police custody. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Police Custody: Costs

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for how much his Department was invoiced by each police force in respect of costs incurred under Operation Safeguard  (a) in total and  (b) in each month in 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: Operation Safeguard was activated in mid-October 2006 and ended just before Christmas 2006. It was then re-activated between 16 January 2007 and 31 October 2008. Police cells have not been used since 22 September 2008 and no police cells have been on stand-by since the end of October 2008.
	As NOMS is invoiced by police forces in arrears, the monthly payments in the following table do not relate directly to the numbers of prisoners held in police cells in each police force in any particular month.
	Invoices to the value of 14,373,500 were paid for the activation of Operation Safeguard in the 2006-07 financial year, 50,687,200 for the 2007-08 financial year and 10,790,000 for the 2008-09 financial year (up to 31 December 2008).
	The following tables provide a breakdown of cost by police force area for the use of Safeguard in calendar year 2008.
	
		
			  Breakdown of cost by police force area for the use of Safeguard in calendar year 2008 
			  Payments () 
			  Police force  January  February  March  April  May  June  July 
			 Bedfordshire 82,436.42  80,143.78   90,619.43  
			 Cambridge548,573.57  295,693.20  
			 Cheshire 1,195,270.61  1,301,098.13  1,068,049.71  142,449.01 
			 Derbyshire  113,735.23 197,496.09  157,030.54 83,575.62  
			 Devon and Cornwall 247,310.90  105,280.45  16,537.50  126,113.49 
			 Dorset   52,229.77   111,006.82  
			 Durham   412,525.51208,951.30 
			 Dyfed  88,067.09  
			 Essex 435,828.57   217,750.37 207,903.05 98,690.78 210,065.96 
			 GMP 146,933.09  773,584.74 492,479.77 303,232.47  293,072.87 
			 Gwent 4,361.55   179,249.83  218,753.52  
			 Hampshire 311,113.78  93,470.41   161,117.85 262,228.51 
			 Hertfordshire 103,692.63  178.733.90 203,937.34 102,923.43  38,011.00 
			 Kent   290,759.19 288,436.77   -604.38 
			 Lancashire   564,388.00  201,859.00   
			 Leicestershire   927,514.40 23,628.19 49,510.40 266,053.13 121,162.86 
			 Lincolnshire 108,986.38  36,341.00 166,013.46
			 Metropolitan 2,294,279.92  983,585.02 6,236,135.15 1,029,660.65  1,721,789.20 
			 Merseyside   4,605.58 
			 North Wales 1,679.39   436,337.55 452,758.10   
			 South Wales314,075.31   953,347.46 
			 South Yorkshire 98,022.82 81,643.56 199,426.15 34,656.33 68,095.49 921.98  
			 Staffordshire  41,297.24  
			 Suffolk 605,507.69   
			 Sussex
			 Thames Valley 256,657.39  286,443.72 266,276.05 132,475.66 130,018.66 240,098.36 
			 Warwickshire  197,843.05 149,594.25 117,001.80 279.50 231,660.78  
			 West Midlands  422,856.34 1,084,575.77  1,577,130.02  347,259.80 
			 West Yorkshire   992,893.48 181,080.66 232,210.13 320,493.85  
			 Cumbria   80,285.62 69,723.64 66,906.35   
			 Northumbria   89,726.00 79,159.00 50,100.00   
			 Wilts35,777.04   2,118.45 
			 Northants98,415.60
			 ACPO40,865.59
			 
			 Total 5,286,573.45 904,145.27 8,880,095.38 10,029,573.02 6,322.169.69 2,049,902.86 4,670,669.47 
		
	
	
		
			  Payments () 
			  Police force  August  September  October  November  December  Total 
			 Bedfordshire28,219.80  281,419.43 
			 Cambridge 147,153.00   219,446.20  1,210,865.97 
			 Cheshire 277,079.41 192,452.24 278,655.71 188,893.45  4,643,948.27 
			 Derbyshire  14,949.71 38,628.28  102,157.42 707,572.89 
			 Devon and Cornwall  25,975.91 18,521.53 123,970.07 99,711.46 763,421.31 
			 Dorset 16,626.2192,227.08 272,089.88 
			 Durham  621,476.81 
			 Dyfed  88,067.09 
			 Essex   463,816.94 86,467.14 83,093.63 1,803,616.44 
			 GMP  2,009,302.94 
			 Gwent 5,855.42 408,220.32 
			 Hampshire   140,990.99 268,400.00  1,237,321.54 
			 Hertfordshire  85,133.53 78,555.54 30,547.35  821,534.72 
			 Kent 105,718.81 425,363.331,109,673.72 
			 Lancashire 18,047.00 784,294.00 
			 Leicestershire 109,619.52 87,972.44  125,226.24 148,114.13 1,858,801.31 
			 Lincolnshire  311,340.84 
			 Metropolitan  1,443,649.96 745,641.01 837,248.46 1,291,180.91 16,583,170.28 
			 Merseyside  4,605.58 
			 North Wales 10,874.27   254,578.18  1,156,227.49 
			 South Wales  598,808.731,866,231.50 
			 South Yorkshire  482,766.33 
			 Staffordshire  41,297.24 
			 Suffolk 208,719.79  109,484.15 124,384.54  1,048,096.17 
			 Sussex  0.00 
			 Thames Valley 119,711.59  133,445.86 124,004.54 139,431.53 1,828,563.36 
			 Warwickshire 102,156.03 107,301.42 84,245.79 99,671.74  1,089,754.36 
			 West Midlands 45,415.46 11,100.81  341,411.40  3,829,749.60 
			 West Yorkshire  138,745.55 126,816.88   1,992,240.55 
			 Cumbria   44,248.00   261,163.61 
			 Northumbria  218,985.00 
			 Wilts  37,895.49 
			 Northants 27,194.15 376,236.48501,846.23 
			 ACPO 39,309.90 7,950.82 20,552.00  10,370.58 119,048.89 
			
			 Total 1,233,480.56 3,515,640.93 2,283,602.68 2,852,469.11 1,966,286.74 49,994,609.16

Prison Accommodation

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his Department's budget for creating additional prison capacity in each of the next three years is.

Jack Straw: The following table shows the current estimated capital cost of the capacity programme in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2011-12. This does not include capital costs for the new large prisons but does include an allowance for the purchase of land for the first.
	
		
			   Current forecast ( million) 
			 2009-10 498.14 
			 2010-11 219.39 
			 2011-12 309.30

Prisons: Education

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 2113-4W, on prisons: education, when the report of the randomised control trial of the Prison Service enhanced thinking skills programme scheduled for April 2008 will be published.

David Hanson: The research of the (short-term) evaluation of HM Prison Service enhanced thinking skills (ETS) programme was published on 9 March 2009.
	Two reports were published, the first looked at the actual outcomes of the research, the second the implementation of the randomised controlled trial. Both reports are available on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/enhanced-thinking-skills-programme.htm

Prisons: Females

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many women prisoners were held more than 50 miles from their home address at any time in each of the last five years.

Jack Straw: Women are, on average, held slightly further away from home than men as the women's estate is smaller and more widespread. Latest data available (September 2008) indicate that the average distance from home for women prisoners is 57 miles. The number of women prisoners has been relatively stable in recent years (around 4,400).
	The following table shows the number of women prisoners held over 50 miles from home in each of the last five years:
	
		
			   Women prisoners held 50 miles from home  Percentage of women prisoners held 50 miles from home 
			 2004 1,896 45 
			 2005 1,726 41 
			 2006 1,872 44 
			 2007 1,849 44 
			 2008 1,848 44 
		
	
	The figures are taken from sample data, not necessarily in the same month of each year.
	Where no home address is listed the committal court is used as a proxy address.

Probation Service: Sick Leave

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many days probation service personnel took in sick leave in the last 12 months.

Jack Straw: During the 12 months to December 2008, probation service staff took a total of 239,801 days as sick leave. This equates to an average of 11.5 days per staff year.
	A breakdown by probation area and region is provided in the following table.
	Measured over the 2008-09 financial year to date (the period from April to December 2008) performance has improved to 11.3 days against a target of 11.5 days.
	All probation areas are required to have in place an action plan for achieving a reduction in sickness absence levels. An area's eligibility to apply for trust status is in part dependent on their performance as assessed in the Integrated Probation Performance Framework (IPPF). Performance against the sickness absence target forms part of the overall assessment.
	
		
			  Probation service staff sickness absence: January-December 2008 
			   Absence during year   
			  Probation area/region  Short-term sickness  Long-term sickness  DDA-related sickness  Total days' sickness  Total 'staff years' during year  Average days' absence per 'staff year' 
			 Staffordshire 2,020 2,109 543 4,672 442.1 10.6 
			 Warwickshire 787 712 135 1,634 171.5 9.5 
			 West Mercia 2,744 1,469 624 4,837 399.6 12.1 
			 West Midlands 10,196 9,073 1,089 20,359 1,446.5 14.1 
			 West of Midlands 15,747 13,364 2,392 31,502 2,459.6 12.8 
			
			 County Durham 1,182 1,447 142 2,771 294.5 9.4 
			 Northumbria 3,935 2,783 1,494 8,212 648.9 12.7 
			 Teesside 1,637 1,391 448 3,477 341.3 10.2 
			 North East 6,755 5,621 2,084 14,460 1,284.7 11.3 
			
			 Bedfordshire 1,167 752 269 2,188 182.4 12.0 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,699 1,712 294 3,705 245.5 15.1 
			 Essex 2,021 1,016 830 3,866 421.7 9.2 
			 Hertfordshire 1,035 1,425 652 3,112 319.6 9.7 
			 Norfolk 1,605 1,312 491 3,408 293.7 11.6 
			 Suffolk 1,189 346 8 1,543 223.3 6.9 
			 East of England 8,716 6,562 2,544 17,822 1,686.1 10.6 
			
			 Cheshire 1,584 2,072 478 4,133 373.4 11.1 
			 Cumbria 843 764 119 1,726 179.3 9.6 
			 Lancashire 2,521 2,935 1,160 6,615 569.0 11.8 
			 Greater Manchester 5,394 8,971 1,850 16,215 1,204.2 13.5 
			 Merseyside 2,992 5,424 565 8,981 718.1 12.5 
			 North West 13,333 20,166 4,171 37,671 3,044.0 12.4 
			
			 Derbyshire 1,856 1,193 308 3,357 364.5 9.2 
			 Leicestershire 3,047 986 85 4,117 527.9 7.8 
			 Lincolnshire 1,320 967 417 2,704 245.4 11.0 
			 Northamptonshire 1,244 696 0 1,940 265.6 7.3 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,551 2,760 997 6,307 553.0 11.4 
			 East Midlands 10,018 6,601 1,806 18,426 1,956.4 9.4 
			
			 Humberside 2,451 1,440 553 4,444 451.0 9.9 
			 North Yorkshire 892 984 249 2,125 238.9 8.9 
			 South Yorkshire 4,138 4,372 464 8,974 622.3 14.4 
			 West Yorkshire 4,561 4,871 1,645 11,078 1,041.8 10.6 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 12,043 11,667 2,911 26,621 2,354.0 11.3 
			
			 Hampshire 3,653 2,439 138 6,230 612.8 10.2 
			 Kent 2,341 3,406 463 6,210 480.4 12.9 
			 Surrey 1,446 695 381 2,522 282.4 8.9 
			 Sussex 2,068 1,429 88 3,585 391.9 9.1 
			 Thames Valley 3,301 3,001 1,031 7,333 657.6 11.2 
			 South East 12,809 10,970 2,099 25,878 2,425.0 10.7 
			
			 Avon and Somerset 3,137 1,866 247 5,249 566.0 9.3 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,240 2,674 104 5,017 491.6 10.2 
			 Dorset 1,324 612 106 2,042 267.5 7.6 
			 Gloucestershire 1,337 1,184 0 2,520 168.4 15.0 
			 Wiltshire 825 872 139 1,836 183.0 10.0 
			 South West 8,862 7,206 596 16,664 1,676 5 9.9 
			
			 London 19,481 14,014 272 33,767 2,644.3 12.8 
			
			 Dyfed Powys 968 863 162 1,993 177.4 11.2 
			 Gwent 1,567 2,172 8 3,747 270.7 13.8 
			 North Wales 1,146 1,651 24 2,821 252.8 11.2 
			 South Wales 3,070 4,623 739 8,431 591.4 14.3 
			 Wales 6,751 9,308 933 16,992 1,292.2 13.1 
			
			 England and Wales 114,514 105,480 19,807 239,801 20,822.8 11.5

Re-offenders: Disclosure of Information

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when data regarding multiple offender entries in 2007 will be available.

Jack Straw: The Ministry of Justice statistical publication 'Re-offending of adults: results from the 2007 cohort', which will contain a table on multiple offender entries in 2007 quarter one, has been postponed. This was due for publication on 19 March.
	This postponement is a result of a technical fault in the programming code used to produce the results. Statisticians need additional time to resolve this fault.
	Initial investigations indicate that this fault has resulted in slight errors in the published adult re-offending datasets (from 2000-06). These will be revised when the 2007 cohort data is published.
	At present it is not possible to specify a new publication date. However, we will make every effort to ensure that the postponement is as short as possible and will make a further announcement once the statistics are ready for release.
	The National Statistician has been informed of this postponement and is satisfied that it is necessary on operational grounds.
	A notice about the postponement is available on the Ministry of Justice website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/announcementl60309a.htm
	Further information on Multiple Offender Entries can be found in Annex C of the publication Re-offending of Adults: results from the 2006 cohort:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm

Reoffenders: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders were charged with each category of violent offence whilst being supervised by the probation service in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire in the last (i) six months, (ii) 12 months and (iii) five years.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service holds information on the number of offenders charged with serious further (violent) offences while under probation supervision for the years 2006-07, 2007-08 and for the first six months of 2008-09. However, this does not include all types of violent offence and it is not broken down by town or city. To provide the full information requested would require manual checking of files, which could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.
	The following table contains data on the number of offenders, managed by Hertfordshire probation area, who were charged with certain violent offences, where there was a requirement initially to notify the National Offender Management Service, in line with the serious further offence probation circulars 06/2006 and 41/2006.
	The Offender Management caseload statistics, which are published annually, include data on the number of offenders under probation supervision who are charged with serious further offences and whose cases proceed to review, as defined by the relevant probation circulars. Those data are updated to show outcomes, that is. convictions, acquittals, convictions for lesser offences and charges dropped.
	The number of offenders convicted of a serious further offence is around 0.35 per cent. of the caseload of the Probation Service nationally.
	
		
			  Table: Notifications of serious further offence (violent offence) charges received by National Offender Management Service for 2006-07, 2007-08 and the first six months of 2008-09 
			   Hertfordshire initial notifications 
			  Serious Violent Offence description  2006-07  2007-08  1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008 
			 Aggravated burglary (section 10 of the Theft Act 1968)   1 
			 Aggravated theft
			 Aggravated vehicle-taking involving an accident which caused the death of any person (Section 12A of the Theft Act 1968)
			 Arson (section 1 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971)  1  
			 Attempt to cause explosion, or making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property (section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883)
			 Attempt to commit murder or a conspiracy to commit murder 1   
			 Attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle in order to commit or assist in committing an indictable offence (section 21 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861)
			 Burglary with intent to- (a) inflict grievous bodily harm on a person or (b) do unlawful damage to a building or anything in it, (section 9 of the Theft Act 1968)   1 
			 Carrying a firearm with criminal intent (section 18 of the Firearms Act 1968)  1  
			 Causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult, also called familial homicide' (Section 5 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004)
			 Causing death by careless driving when under influence of drink or drugs (section 3A of the Road Traffic Act 1988)
			 Causing death by dangerous driving (section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988)
			 Destroying or damaging property other than an offence of arson (section 1 (2) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971)
			 False imprisonment 1   
			 Kidnapping  2  
			 Manslaughter
			 Murder
			 Other explosives offences
			 Other offences against the person   1 
			 Other serious violent offence  1  
			 Possession of firearm at time of committing or being arrested for offence specified in Schedule 1 to that Act (section 17(2) of the Firearms Act 1968)  1  
			 Possession of firearm with intent to endanger life i section 16 of the Firearms Act 1968)
			 Robbery or assault with intent to rob (section 8 of the Theft Act 1958)  1  
			 Soliciting murder (section 4 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861)
			 Use of firearm to resist arrest (section 17( 1) of the Firearms Act 1968)
			 Serious firearms offences (SFO)  1  
			 Wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (section 18 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861) 5 2 3 
			 Total 7 10 6

Young Offender Institutions

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of inmates in each young offender institution (YOI) have a registered place of residence in the same local authority area in which the YOI is located.

David Hanson: In the management of the prison population, the aim is to hold offenders in establishments that: provide the degree of security they require, are suitable to their gender, age and legal status, provide special facilities appropriate to offender needs, and are as close as possible to their homes or the courts dealing with their cases.
	The information relating to registered home address is not held centrally and could only be provided by manually checking address data at each establishment at a disproportionate cost.
	Using the committal court as a proxy address where no home address is registered, the average distance from home for offenders aged under 21 is 50 miles (data from September 2008).

Young Offenders: Education

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what responsibilities local authorities have to support the training and education of young offenders in custody.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	Currently local authorities do not have specific legal responsibilities in relation to supporting the training and education of young offenders in custody, although local authority education services are a statutory member of youth offending teams, who play a role in sentence planning for young people in juvenile custody.
	However, the current Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill proposes to place new duties on local education authorities (LEAs) in relation to education and training for young people in juvenile custody. It includes clauses to:
	make LEAs (with custodial establishments in their area) responsible for securing suitable education for young people subject to detention there; and
	make the young person's 'home' LEA responsible for taking steps to promote the fulfilment of the person's learning potential while they are in juvenile custody and on their release.

Youth Custody

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many juvenile prisoners aged  (a) 15,  (b) 16 and  (c) 17 years old are being held more than 50 miles from their home address.

Jack Straw: Latest data available (September 2008) indicate that the average distance from home for juvenile prisoners is 52 miles.
	The following table shows the number and percentage of 15, 16 and 17-year-old offenders held over 50 miles from their home address. Data are from September 2008.
	
		
			  Age  Number held 50 miles from home  Percentage held 50 miles from home 
			 15 115 46 
			 16 289 41 
			 17 609 41 
		
	
	Where no home address is listed the committal court is used as a proxy address.
	Every effort is made to place prisoners under 18 as close to their homes as possible, but the relatively low number of establishments12 for England and Waleshas always made this inherently difficult for some prisoners. Total numbers of prisoners under 18 have been relatively stable in recent years (under 3,000).

HEALTH

Antidepressants: Costs

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of prescribing anti-depressant drugs in  (a) each primary care trust,  (b) strategic health authority and  (c) England was in each of the last three years; and what steps he is taking to reduce these costs.

Dawn Primarolo: The net ingredient cost of anti-depressant drugs prescribed in England and dispensed in the United Kingdom, by primary care trusts (PCTs), strategic heath authorities and for England, in the years 2005 to 2007, the most recent full three year period available, have been taken from the Prescribing Analysis and Cost tool (PACT) system and been placed in the Library.
	The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) began in 2006. This aims to help PCTs implement National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for treating depression and anxiety disorders, and to make psychological therapies more readily available. We have made a very substantial commitment to IAPT, which will provide patients with a real choice of prescribed anti-depressants or therapy or both. By 2010-11, annual funding for IAPT will rise to 173 million, to train 3,600 extra therapists and treat 900,000 more people in those three years.

Arthritis

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions his Department has had to encourage more widespread and innovative clinician-driven leadership in the commissioning process in respect of the patient journey for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Ann Keen: We are not aware of any recent discussions on innovative clinician-driven leadership in the commissioning process specifically for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Domestic Violence: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating victims of domestic violence in  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland constituency in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many women have been treated at hospitals in  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland constituency for injuries sustained as a result of domestic violence in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	The Department has conducted initial pilot work to explore the best way to collect data in an emergency department, a maternity hospital and a general practitioner surgery. Following that, the Department has undertaken feasibility pilots to test and develop a dataset template in accident and emergency departments to collect de-personalised data on domestic violence.

Domestic Violence: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating victims of domestic violence in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: The information is not collected centrally.
	The Department has conducted initial pilot work to explore the best way to collect data in an emergency department, a maternity hospital and general practitioner surgery. Following that, the Department has undertaken feasibility pilots to test and develop a dataset template in accident and emergency departments to collect de-personalised data on domestic violence.

Exercise

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place for organisations to respond to his Department's physical activity strategy for England, Be active, be healthy: a plan for getting the nation moving.

Dawn Primarolo: As a part of the Physical Activity plan, the Department is taking forward a range of initiatives with key stakeholders and partners at national, regional and local levels.
	We have established a cross-Government Physical Activity Programme Board, jointly led by Department of Health and Department of Culture, Media and Sport, to oversee deliver/of this plan, including progress against two million Legacy Action plan target, and to co-ordinate the regional/local delivery of physical activity alongside sport.
	The Government are supporting the creation of physical activity alliance of organisations that share the common aim to deliver a shared vision of a healthier nation through physical activity. The physical activity alliance will add value to the local delivery of physical activity by co-ordinating the activities of its members at all levels and unlocking new resources, for example by working with private sector sponsors.
	The Department is providing funding to County Sport and Physical Activity Partnerships (CSPAPs) to enable them to have an integral role in the delivery of national and regional physical activity strategies. The CSPAPs will be responsible for co-ordinating local programmes and investment to deliver physical activity and active recreation alongside sport.

Exercise

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the members are of the Interim Steering Group for the physical activity alliance as referred to in his Department's publication, Be active, be healthy: a plan for getting the nation moving.

Dawn Primarolo: The Interim Steering Group of physical activity alliance members are:
	
		
			  Member  
			 Sarah Gaventa CABE Space 
			 Brigid Simmonds Central Council of Physical Recreation 
			 Christine Double County Sport Partnerships Network 
			 Geoff Dessent Deputy Director, Health Wellbeing, DH (Observer) 
			 Prof. Alan Maryon-Davis Faculty of Public Health 
			 Andree Deane Fitness Industry Association 
			 Tony Armstrong Living Streets 
			 Paul Raynes Local Government Association 
			 Paul Lincoln National Heart Forum 
			 William Bird (Chair) Outdoor Health Forum 
			 Paul Jarvis Regional Physical Activity Leads 
			 Ruth Alleyne Sport England (Observer) 
			 Philip Insall Sustrans 
			 Rosi Prescott Central YMCA

Hospitals: Admissions

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many admissions to hospital were due to intentionally self-inflicted injuries in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: The data requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Count of admissions( 1)  to hospital for intentional self-harm( 2) , 2003-04 to 2007-08: Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			   Deliberate (intentional self-harm) 
			 2003-04 74,683 
			 2004-05 81,561 
			 2005-06 93,814 
			 2006-07 94,382 
			 2007-08 97,871 
			 (1) The technical term for what has been supplied is Finished Admission Episodes  Cause code The cause code is a supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects. The field within HES counts only the first external cause code which is coded within the episode. (2) Cause codes used:  Deliberate (intentional self-harm): X60-X84 (intentional self-harm), Y87.0 (sequelae of intentional self-harm)  Data Quality Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data is also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid.  Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Injuries: Offensive Weapons

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients aged  (a) under 10,  (b) between 10 and 15,  (c) between 16 and 18,  (d) between 19 and 25 and  (e) over 25 years old were admitted to hospital through accident and emergency departments in each health trust with a primary or secondary diagnosis of injury caused by a blade or sharp or pointed implement in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: Information has been provided on the number of hospital admissions with an external cause code of either 'Assault by sharp object' (x99) or 'Contact with knife sword or dagger' (w26) split by the separated age groups.
	It is not possible to provide the data for 'each health trust' because this would result in the need to suppress the majority of figures (any number between one and five poses a risk that individuals may be identifiable). Therefore, the data is provided by strategic health authority (SHA) of treatment (based on the postcode of the main site of the SHA).
	This data is limited to those with an admission method of 'Emergency: via Accident and Emergency (AE) services, including the casualty department of the provider' and 'Emergency: other means, including patients who arrive via the AE department of another healthcare provider'.
	The available information has been placed in the Library and reference should be made to the footnotes and clinical codes when interpreting the data.

MMR Vaccine

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the implications of the decision in the US case of Bailey Banks  v. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for his Department's policy on the MMR vaccine.

Dawn Primarolo: In 2007 the United States Court of Federal Claims made a ruling in favour of compensation to the father of Bailey Banks for his non-autistic developmental delay as a result of Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) following receipt of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. ADEM is an extremely rare condition that has been reported after rabies, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, smallpox, MMR, Japanese B encephalitis, pertussis, influenza and hepatitis B vaccines. The Bailey Banks case has no implications for MMR vaccine policy.

NHS Treatment Centres: Private Sector

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) potential and  (b) actual financial liability his Department accepts for the capital projects associated with independent sector treatment centres.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has a duty to meet a residual value (RV) payment at contract expiry where such a payment exists under the terms of the contract. RV within the independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) programme relates to buildings and equipment (the assets) provided under the contract as part of the ISTC service.
	The total capital liability due at current contract expiry is estimated at 229 million (total cost at expiry) across the ISTC programme. Contracts are due to expire at various points in time between 2009-10 and 2016-17.

NHS Treatment Centres: Private Sector

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision his Department has made for funding for  (a) capital value projects and  (b) revenue budgets associated with the first phase of independent sector treatment centres.

Ben Bradshaw: The first phase of the independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) programme was delivered and funded by the private sector. In the event that current contracts are not renewed, the Department would be required to pay any residual value in return for the buildings and equipment. This funding will be accommodated in the capital plan in the year in which the funding is required.
	The Department allocates funding directly to primary care trusts (PCTs) based on the relative needs of their populations within the designated area, and in line with the change of pace in policy. A weighted capitation formula determines each PCT's target share of available resources. This enables them to commission similar levels of health services for populations in similar need, as well as reducing avoidable health inequalities. PCTs are responsible for funding activity provided by the ISTCs they sponsor, through their general funding allocation described above.

NHS: Drugs

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of prescription items dispensed by community pharmacists were dispensed to  (a) people over 65 years old,  (b) people under 18 years old,  (c) people eligible for free prescriptions under the NHS low income scheme,  (d) other people eligible for free prescriptions and  (e) patients who can be charged for prescriptions (i) in England and (ii) in each primary care trust area in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible for NHS Prescription Services to provide data on the number of prescriptions issued free of charge to patients aged 65 and over as the age of the patient is not captured. Therefore, data have been provided for those patients who were exempt because they are aged 60 and over.
	The information requested is shown in the following table. Estimates are based on a sample of one in 20 prescription forms and cover only those prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors in England. It is not possible to provide separate figures for community pharmacists. The figures exclude personally administered items and items dispensed by dispensing doctors.
	
		
			  Prescription items dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors in England by charged prescriptions and defined categories where no prescription charge is made, 1997  to  2007 
			   Estimate:  Actual: 
			   Total prescription items dispensed (million)  Prescription items for people aged 60 and over (%)( 1)  Prescription items for children under 16 and 16-18 year olds in full-time education (%)( 2)  Prescription items under NHS Low Income Scheme (%)  Prescription items for other people eligible for free prescriptions (%)  Prescription items for people not exempt from the prescription charge (%) 
			 1997 454.3 49.3 10.9 15.3 10.0 14.6 
			 1998 467.1 50.1 10.0 14.8 10.6 14.6 
			 1999 481.9 52.3 9.1 13.8 9.9 14.9 
			 2000 500.5 54.0 8.3 13.2 9.6 14.9 
			 2001 533.1 55.1 7.9 12.8 9.5 14.7 
			 2002 560.7 56.0 7.3 12.8 9.5 14.4 
			 2003 590.1 56.9 6.8 12.8 9.6 13.9 
			 2004 622.5 58.1 6.3 12.7 9.7 13.2 
			 2005 651.5 57.9 6.2 12.3 11.0 12.5 
			 2006 682.4 59.4 5.9 12.0 10.5 12.0 
			 2007 722.9 59.7 5.6 11.4 11.9 11.4 
			 (1) Estimates can be produced only for those aged 60 and over (i.e. the age at which the entitlement to free prescriptions starts) not 65 and over. (2) Estimates can be produced only for those aged under 16 or aged 16-18 and in full-time education.  Note: Figures do not necessarily sum to 100 per cent. due to rounding  Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) 
		
	
	Only national data for England have been provided. It is not possible to provide a breakdown by PCT as the data are based on a sample of one in 20 prescription forms, which is only suitable for estimating at national level.

NHS: Drugs

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 15 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1512W, on NHS: drugs, which NHS bodies his Department has assessed as having failed to comply with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence statutory funding directions.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not routinely assess national health service compliance with the statutory direction requiring NHS organisations to make funding available for technologies recommended by technology appraisal guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
	Compliance with NICE's technology appraisals and other nationally agreed guidance is a core standard for NHS organisations. The Healthcare Commission has assessed compliance with the core standard as part of the annual health checks. The 2007-08 annual health checks show that 95 per cent. of NHS organisations were able to provide evidence of compliance with the core standard which incorporates NICE's technology appraisals. An overview of the 2007-08 annual health check is available at:
	http://2008ratings.healthcarecommission.org.uk/informationabouthealthcareservices/overallperformance/thebiggerpicture.cfm
	and a copy has been placed in the Library.

Orphan Drugs

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to develop separate appraisal criteria for ultra orphan drugs; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government have no plans to ask the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to establish a separate appraisal system for ultra orphan drugs. However, this position is kept under review in the context of other developments relating to the Government's policy on new drugs.
	The Department and NICE are currently consulting on proposed revisions to the process and criteria for selecting topics for referral to NICE'S technology appraisal work programme. The consultation document is available at:
	www.nice.org.uk/getinvolved/suggestatopic/
	and a copy has already been placed in the Library.

Smoking: Health Services

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of treating smoking-related diseases in  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Smoking: Health Services

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland have received assistance from the NHS to stop smoking in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available in the format requested. However, data on the number of people setting a quit date and successfully quitting through the National Health Service Stop Smoking Services are available for the Cumbria Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) in 2006-07 and 2007-08 and for the former Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and its constituent PCTs for 2004-05 to 2006-07.
	Information for 2007-08 is available from the annual Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2007 to March 2008. This information can be found in table 3.5 on page 28.
	Information for 2006-07 is available for both the old and new SHA and PCTs from the annual statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2006 to March 2007. This information can be found in table 2.12 (old breakdown) and table 5.4 (new breakdown) on pages 18-19 and 65 respectively.
	Information for 2005-06 is available for both the old SHA and PCTs from the annual statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2005 to March 2006. This information can be found in table 4.12 on pages 37-38.
	Information for 2004-05 is available for both the old SHA and PCTs from the annual Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2004 to March 2005. This information can be found in table 19 on pages 52-53.
	All of the above publications have already been placed in the Library.

Social Services: Elderly

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that his Department's funding allocation for social care in the next comprehensive spending review period is adequate to meet the needs of older people; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The funding priority for social care for older people is a matter for local councils. They have responsibility to ensure that the care needs of older people are met within their communities from the resources available to them. These resources come from central Government allocations to local authorities, grants from the Department, locally raised council tax and local fees and charges.
	The Secretaries of State for Health and Communities and Local Government will make representation to the Treasury for them to consider the allocations that are made to local authorities by the Chancellor in his next spending review, which will include evidence on the demographic and other pressures that councils will face as a result of the ageing society.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts have  (a) implemented local needs assessments for stroke services and  (b) developed workforce action plans as referred to in the National Stroke Strategy published in December 2007.

Ann Keen: All primary care trusts have completed a joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA). A number of the core indicators for JSNA are relevant to stroke. We do not hold information centrally on the extent to which individual primary care trusts have implemented JSNA plans for stroke nor on whether they have developed workforce action plans, as set out in the stroke strategy.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of stroke patients who spend the majority of their in-patient stay in designated stroke units.

Ann Keen: The NHS Operating Framework for 2008-09 and 2009-10 identify stroke services as a key national health service priority. A new data collection was introduced in 2008-09 to monitor progress toward the Tier One indicator measuring the number of stroke patients who spend at least 90 per cent. of their time on a stroke unit. Additional guidance is being produced to improve this data collection and we expect to have management information available in summer 2009.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many national audits of stroke services have been carried out since December 2007.

Ann Keen: One national audit has been carried out since December 2007. This was the National Sentinel Stroke Audit Phase 1 Organisational Audit and was published by the Royal College of Physicians in August 2008. The clinical phase of the audit is due to be published at the end of April 2009.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of progress towards the implementation of the national stroke strategy published in December 2007; and what plans he has to publish a progress report.

Ann Keen: Stroke Networks have now been established across England and have started their work reviewing and organising delivery of stroke services across the care pathway. Significant progress is being made in implementing the stroke strategy but we acknowledge there is still work to be done. Later this year the Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long term care and support. Our intention is to publish the evaluation report.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the development of the assessment measures for vascular risk factors as referred to in the National Stroke Strategy.

Ann Keen: A vascular risk assessment and management programme is being developed that will target the group of modifiable risk factors shared by heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. The analytical modelling and evidence base underpinning this programme indicate that there are significant health gains to be made in this area. Primary care trusts will be responsible for the commissioning of the programme for their populations and phased implementation will begin in 2009-10.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of progress on the provision of advice and assistance to stroke patients and their carers as referred to in the National Stroke Strategy;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of progress on increasing access to rehabilitation services and community support for stroke patients.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy later this year, which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long term care and support.
	We have provided ring-fenced central funding totalling 45 million over the three years 2008-09 to 2010-11 to local authorities in England to support implementation of the stroke strategy and help improve the way they deliver stroke care for adults in the community. Information to date suggests that local authorities are working jointly with their national health service partners, with stroke networks and the voluntary sector to improve and accelerate community support services for stroke survivors and their carers using this new funding. The Stroke Association has been funded by the National Audit Office to undertake an evaluation of community-based rehabilitation units.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of progress towards ensuring that lower risk suspected trans ischaemic attack patients are seen by a medical professional within seven days as referred to in the national stroke strategy.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy later this year, which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long term care and support. Our intention is to publish the evaluation report.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of patients with suspected stroke who were transferred to hospitals providing 24-hour hyperacute services in  (a) December 2007 and  (b) the latest month for which figures are available;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of hospitals able to provide patients suspected of having had a stroke with a multi-disciplinary assessment on admission.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy later this year, which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long term care and support.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the number of hospitals able to provide 24-hour thrombolysis for suspected stroke patients.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The National Sentinel Stroke audit, prepared by the Royal College of Physicians and which is based on clinical data, collected directly from national health service trusts, details the latest evidence on the provision of stroke services to patients. While a significant number of units offer a thrombolysis service, the most recent audit (August 2008) states that the number offering a 24-hour/seven day a week service is low. The audit is available at the College's Internet site at:
	www.rcplondon.ac.uk/clinical-standards/ceeu/Current-work/Documents/Public%20organisational%20report2008.pdf

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the level of provision for stroke patients to receive  (a) carotid intervention and  (b) echocardiography within 48-hours of a stroke.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The Vascular Society conducts a continuing survey, which examines adherence to this recommendation in the strategy.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of patients diagnosed with a stroke or trans ischaemic attack who receive clinical follow-up within one month as referred to in the National Stroke Strategy.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally. The Department will commission an independent evaluation of the implementation of the stroke strategy later this year, which will cover the whole stroke pathway from awareness to long term care and support.

West Nile Virus

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what stockpile of vaccine there is to protect people against West Nile virus; what further funding his Department will provide for this purpose; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: No vaccine currently exists to protect humans against West Nile virus, therefore there are no plans to stockpile such vaccine.
	The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and there is an equine vaccine against West Nile virus. However, mammals (such as horses) rarely have viruses in their blood for long enough to infect an insect vector and contribute to onward transmission.
	Although the risk for infection in the United Kingdom remains low, the Department published 'West Nile virus: A contingency plan to protect the public's health' in May 2004.
	A copy of this plan has been placed in the Library.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Furs: Retail Trade

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will introduce a ban on the use of animal fur in retail products.

Gareth Thomas: In response to public concern, the Government successfully called for an EU-wide ban on the trade in domestic cat and dog fur which came into force on 31 December 2008 and is pursuing an EU-wide ban on the trade in pinniped products (seals, sea-lion and walrus).
	However, we have no plan to introduce a ban on the use of animal fur in retail products.

Manufacturing Industries: Motor Vehicles

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much in loans has been guaranteed by his Department to each automotive company for investment in lower carbon initiatives since 27 January 2009.

Ian Pearson: The Automotive Assistance Programme (AAP) announced on 27 January did not receive state aid clearance until 27 February. It is now open for business and can receive applications. BERR held a seminar on 11 March to bring together industry, banks and the relevant trade bodies to make sure that the application process runs as smoothly and effectively as possible. No loan guarantees have yet been issued under the AAP.

Oil: Reserves

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what level of compulsory oil stocks EU member states are required to hold; and how many tonnes of oil this equates to in the UK.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	Under EU Council Directive 2006/67/EC, member states of the European Union (EU) are required to hold stocks of oil and oil products equivalent to 90 days of national inland consumption, but because the UK is a producer of crude oil from the UK Continental Shelf, its obligation is reduced by 25 per cent. to 67.5 days.
	The UK's current obligation equates to 11.1 million tonnes. The UK met its obligation with a surplus of over 2 million tonnes in November 2008, the latest figure available.

Woolworths

Michael Ancram: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what information his Department holds on the number of former Woolworths shop premises which have been occupied by other businesses.

Gareth Thomas: According to the administrators Deloitte LLP, around 200 stores have been sold either to third party tenants or landlords. The remaining stores are being returned to landlords.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Building Schools for the Future Programme

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment he has made of the effects of the economic downturn on the delivery of private finance initiative contracts relating to the Building Schools for the Future programme; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department is continuing to monitor the impact of the current economic conditions on capital programmes such as BSF, and is working with Partnerships for Schools (PfS) and HM Treasury to ensure the programme moves forward as planned. On 3 March 2009, my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced Government action to safeguard capital infrastructure investment in projects being delivered through the private finance initiative.
	PfS have been able to secure a commitment in principle from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for 300 million to support BSF schemes that have PFI investment. PfS were also successful in closing the BSF Tameside deal in February which included a significant PFI contribution.

Building Schools for the Future: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make it his policy to bring forward capital spending under the Building Schools for the Future programme in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point for economic reasons; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: It is not our policy to bring forward Building Schools for the Future (BSF) investment to act as a fiscal stimulus because of the strategic planning that underpins BSF. BSF typically involves the building of entire new schools; so design and planning need care and time. Accelerating the construction would curtail this planning and would thereby jeopardise the quality and transformational nature of the programme. We are however working with Partnerships for Schools to simplify procedures and accelerate delivery, and the procurement process has already been accelerated and costs reduced.
	BSF investment already announced and in the pipeline provides substantial underpinning to the construction industry. It is now building momentum so that by 2011, over 200 revamped or rebuilt schools will be being opened. Over 1,000 BSF schools across 80 local authorities already engaged in the programme. This includes two major school investment projects in Castle Point which are proceeding on schedule for delivery in 2012.
	In December 2008, we offered local authorities the opportunity to bring forward schools capital allocations from 2010-11 into 2009-10 where they could accelerate projects to provide a fiscal stimulus and give pupils and teachers the benefit of early investment. Essex authority asked for a 13.2 million advance from a possible maximum of 30.2 million. In addition to meeting this request, we have advanced to its schools 10 million of devolved formula capital, so that they can bring investment benefits early for their pupils and staff.

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many cases have been transferred between Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service offices in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the additional time taken to make access arrangements arising from the transfer of cases between Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service offices.

Beverley Hughes: Transfer of cases between Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) offices are recorded on the Case Management System, which was rolled out to all CAFCASS offices on 1 April 2007. No transfer data are available prior to this date.
	The following table shows the national transfer of cases between CAFCASS offices over the last two financial years.
	
		
			  Financial year  Case transfers 
			 2007-08 4,878 
			 2008-09 to date 4,950 
			 Total 9,828 
		
	
	CAFCASS does not collect information on time taken to make access arrangements arising from transferring cases between CAFCASS offices.

Children: Databases

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 1823-4W, on children: databases, what the cost was of each contract with Capgemini.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 1823-4W, on children: databases, according to departmental records the cost of each contract with Capgemini was:
	Expired business services framework agreement for the period January 2002 to September 2008127,865,880 (includes VAT)
	Current business services framework agreement for the period October 2008 to January 20097,732,767 (includes VAT)
	ContactPointdetails of expenditure on this contract have been given in response on, 4 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1676W.
	Corporate Service Transformation programme (July to October 2006)207,811
	Corporate Service Transformation programme (July to October 2008)279,255
	Expert advisers to work with low-performing schools (November 2008 to March 2008)31,920
	Government Departments can reclaim input VAT on a limited range of contracted-out services. Capgemini charges cover a mixture of recoverable and non-recoverable services. The values for the three consultancy contracts are taken from management information returns that do not give the VAT status of expenditure. While it is likely that the cost shown excludes VAT, it has not been possible to confirm this without incurring disproportionate cost.

Children: Day Care

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many childcare places there were in West Lancashire constituency in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2008.

Beverley Hughes: The available information is shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Table 1 :  Number( 1,2)  of day care places for children under eight years of age by type of provider Lancashire local authority areaposition at 31 March 1997 
			  Type of provider  1997 
			 Day nurseries 9,900 
			 Playgroups and pre-schools 8,200 
			 Childminders 8,700 
			 Out of school clubs 1,100 
			 Holiday schemes 1,500 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100.  Source: (2) Children's Day Care Facilities Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number( 1,2)  of registered childcare places for children under eight years of age by type of care Lancashire local authority areaposition at 31 March 2008 
			  Type of care  2008 
			 Full day care 18,500 
			 Sessional day care 3,500 
			 Childminders 5,500 
			 Out of school day care 9,200 
			 Crche day care 400 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100.  Source: (2) Ofsted 
		
	
	Since 2003 Ofsted has been responsible for the registration and inspection of child care providers. Ofsted has produced figures on the numbers of registered child care providers and places on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Their latest figures were published in their report Registered Childcare Providers and Places, August 2008, which is available on their website,
	www.Ofsted.gov.uk/

Children: Disabled

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been spent by each local authority in England on handling complaints relating to care packages allocated to severely disabled children in each of the last five years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Costs incurred in handling complaints about social care packages for severely disabled children come from local authority budgets, which are determined locally. This information is not collected centrally.

Children: Social Services

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the present performance assessment indicator C23 is for each local authority children's services department; what assessment Ofsted has made of the optimum indicator for each authority; and what recommendations Ofsted has made for changes to each authority's indicators.

Beverley Hughes: This performance indicator, produced annually to 2007-08, showed the number of children who ceased to be looked after during the year as a result of an adoption or special guardianship order, as a percentage of the number of children looked after at 31 March who had been looked after for six months or more on that day. The data for 2007-08 are shown in the table.
	Ofsted set no optimum level for this indicator. The indicator is no longer used to assess the performance of local authorities. From April 2008, the only indicators used to assess such performance are those in the single set of national indicators published in October 2007. This includes an indicator relating to the timeliness of placements of looked after children for adoption following an agency decision that the child should be placed for adoption, and one relating to the length of placement.
	
		
			  Number of looked after children adopted during 2007-08 as a percentage of the number of looked after children at 31 March 2008 
			  England LA name  Percentage 
			 City of London  
			 Camden 12.9 
			 Greenwich 8.5 
			 Hackney 14.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 18.9 
			 Islington 8.2 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 13.8 
			 Lambeth 6.1 
			 Lewisham 6.9 
			 Southwark 10.1 
			 Tower Hamlets 10.5 
			 Wandsworth 9.2 
			 Westminster 15.7 
			 Barking and Dagenham 12.6 
			 Barnet 7.4 
			 Bexley 12.4 
			 Brent 8.0 
			 Bromley 7.7 
			 Croydon 5.6 
			 Ealing 9.5 
			 Enfield 7.2 
			 Haringey 8.8 
			 Harrow 14.3 
			 Havering 9.4 
			 Hillingdon 10.7 
			 Hounslow 7.7 
			 Kingston upon Thames  
			 Merton 8.0 
			 Newham 8.0 
			 Redbridge  
			 Richmond upon Thames  
			 Sutton 18.6 
			 Waltham Forest 8.5 
			 Birmingham 5.5 
			 Coventry 5.0 
			 Dudley 5.4 
			 Sandwell 8.1 
			 Solihull 7.0 
			 Walsall 11.1 
			 Wolverhampton 7.3 
			 Knowsley 6.3 
			 Liverpool 7.9 
			 St. Helens 8.0 
			 Sefton 7.2 
			 Wirral 7.4 
			 Bolton 12.8 
			 Bury 8.2 
			 Manchester 5.5 
			 Oldham 10.8 
			 Rochdale 9.0 
			 Salford 6.6 
			 Stockport 11.0 
			 Tameside 6.6 
			 Trafford 4.5 
			 Wigan 9.3 
			 Barnsley 13.9 
			 Doncaster 7.6 
			 Rotherham 8.1 
			 Sheffield 11.5 
			 Bradford 5.3 
			 Calderdale 10.2 
			 Kirklees 9.4 
			 Leeds 7.9 
			 Wakefield 8.6 
			 Gateshead 8.8 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 10.3 
			 North Tyneside 8.7 
			 South Tyneside 11.2 
			 Sunderland 9.0 
			 Isles of Scilly  
			 Bath and North East Somerset 7.2 
			 Bristol 8.8 
			 North Somerset 6.1 
			 South Gloucestershire 7.9 
			 Hartlepool 12.1 
			 Middlesbrough 4.8 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 6.7 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 6.9 
			 Kingston upon Hull 7.6 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 6.0 
			 North East Lincolnshire 5.5 
			 North Lincolnshire 9.3 
			 North Yorkshire 6.6 
			 York 10.7 
			 Bedfordshire 11.0 
			 Luton 7.3 
			 Buckinghamshire 14.2 
			 Milton Keynes 10.0 
			 Derbyshire 10.2 
			 Derby 10.5 
			 Dorset 3.1 
			 Poole 7.8 
			 Bournemouth 8.7 
			 Durham 13.9 
			 Darlington 11.6 
			 East Sussex 11.7 
			 Brighton and Hove 12.3 
			 Hampshire 10.8 
			 Portsmouth 5.2 
			 Southampton 11.2 
			 Leicestershire 13.4 
			 Leicester 8.8 
			 Rutland  
			 Staffordshire 8.8 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 7.8 
			 Wiltshire 4.1 
			 Swindon 11.5 
			 Bracknell Forest  
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 10.7 
			 West Berkshire  
			 Reading 12.0 
			 Slough 14.1 
			 Wokingham  
			 Cambridgeshire 8.4 
			 Peterborough 11.9 
			 Cheshire 4.7 
			 Halton 10.6 
			 Warrington 10.1 
			 Devon 9.1 
			 Plymouth 7.9 
			 Torbay 6.1 
			 Essex 8.0 
			 Southend 6.4 
			 Thurrock 7.5 
			 Herefordshire 11.8 
			 Worcestershire 9.8 
			 Kent 11.6 
			 Medway 8.3 
			 Lancashire 8.5 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 7.1 
			 Blackpool 10.3 
			 Nottinghamshire 7.7 
			 Nottingham 12.2 
			 Shropshire 3.7 
			 Telford and Wrekin 10.1 
			 Cornwall 16.0 
			 Cumbria 7.9 
			 Gloucestershire 8.0 
			 Hertfordshire 7.6 
			 Isle of Wight 7.2 
			 Lincolnshire 9.1 
			 Norfolk 6.8 
			 Northamptonshire 12.7 
			 Northumberland 13.2 
			 Oxfordshire 14.8 
			 Somerset 6.7 
			 Suffolk 11.9 
			 Surrey 10.0 
			 Warwickshire 7.4 
			 West Sussex 9.1

Departmental Bank Services

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with which banks his Department has or has had contracts for the provision of financial advice, for the financial year 2008-09.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has not entered into any such contracts and does not obtain financial advice from banks in connection with any of its policies.
	DCSF is subject solely to advice from the Treasury in the discharge of its financial responsibilities.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many  (a) expert advisers,  (b) special advisers and  (c) consultants were employed by his Department in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many  (a) special advisers and  (b) expert advisers his Department has employed in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Since 2003 the Government have published on an annual basis the names and numbers of special advisers in each pay band. For the most recent information I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 99-102WS. Information on the employment of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and is available in the House Libraries.
	In keeping with good procurement practice most external expert advisers and consultancy engagements placed by the Department are based on a requirement for the delivery of outcomes or outputs, and not for the number of experts or consultants employed.
	Our management information system reflects this and records the numbers and values of contracts or engagements, rather than individual expert advisers or consultants. We are, therefore, unable to answer the question in the way it has been asked.

Departmental Postal Services

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of letters sent by his Department were given to  (a) the Royal Mail and  (b) another postal services provider for delivery in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In the period February 2008January 2009 the Department for Children, Schools and Families either directly or through its distribution partner has sent a total of 769,901 letters using Royal Mail postal services. Of these 449,901 (58 per cent.) were sent directly from the Department via Royal Mail and a further 320,000 (42 per cent.) were sent on the Department's behalf also via Royal Mail by Prolog the Department's publications storage and distribution provider.

Faith Schools: Islam

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will commission research into allegations of physical violence against pupils attending madrasas in the UK.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department has no current plans to commission research into allegations of physical violence against pupils attending madrassahs.

Family Intervention Projects

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what sanctions or penalties a family may be subject to if it refuses to engage in a Family Intervention Project.

Beverley Hughes: While a family's initial involvement in a Family Intervention Project is voluntary, the projects draw on the range of sanctions that a family or family members may already be facing. These include seeking possession of a family's tenancy, a parenting order, antisocial behaviour order, proceedings to take children into care and juvenile specific orders. Once families have agreed to take part, a contract is drawn up with the family setting out the changes that are expected, support that will be provided and sanctions that may be used if changes are not made. Early evaluation of Family Intervention Projects has shown that they are helping to reduce antisocial behaviour and prevent homelessness.

GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools did not have more than 30 per cent. of pupils achieving five or more A* to B grades at GCSE, including English and mathematics in 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools had less than 30 per cent. of pupils achieve  (a) five A* to C grades at GCSE excluding equivalents and  (b) five A* to C grades including English and mathematics at GCSE excluding equivalents in the latest year for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which maintained secondary schools did not achieve 30 per cent. or more GCSEs including English and mathematics in 2008 when equivalents were excluded.

Jim Knight: The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Health Education: Sex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether the review group on sex and relationships education (SRE) consulted parents about what should be taught as part of SRE and at what ages; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The purpose of the review of sex and relationships education (SRE) in schools was not to decide the precise content of schools' SRE programmes. Rather, its purpose was to consider what action is needed to improve SRE delivery.
	As a result of the review, we have announced our intention to make PSHE statutory and to develop a statutory programme of study, which sets outin high-level termsa common core of knowledge and skills that all young people should be taught. We will, however, retain the flexibility for individual school governing bodies to determine how material should be presented and what teaching resources schools use to support delivery of their SRE programmes.
	The Government's response to the SRE review also committed us to develop updated SRE guidance for schools. Both the PSHE programmes of study and new SRE guidance will be subject to a full public consultation.
	To inform its decisions, the SRE steering group commissioned a review of the existing evidence on parents' views on SRE. This evidencealong with evidence on Ofsted, teachers' and young people's views on SRE, as well as a literature review of international evidencewere considered by the steering group when deciding what recommendations to make to Government.
	We agree with the SRE review steering group that the provision of SRE should be a partnership between parents and schools. Parents should lead on instilling values in their children, but schools have a clear role in giving young people accurate information and helping them to develop the skills they need to make safe and responsible choices.

Performing Arts

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department has engaged any  (a) actors,  (b) musicians and  (c) other performers to support its initiatives over the last five years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Since its inception, in June 2007, actors, musicians and performers have appeared in some of the Department's marketing campaigns. The Department has also secured unpaid celebrity support, including actors, musicians and performers for some of our campaigns, most notably the National Year of Reading TV filler. Given the wide range of audiences and the challenging nature of some of our priority advertising and publicity messages the use of big voices, advocates and high profile celebrities (where the selected 'voice' has a resonance or a known link to the message or there is a strong argument that the individual or individuals have a high level of influence within a particular audience group) this is one way we would look to deliver and influence to our markets.

Public Opinion

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on  (a) opinion polling,  (b) focus groups and  (c) other forms of market research in each year since its inception; what surveys were commissioned; and what the purpose was of each.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Since its inception in June 2007 the Department has spent 1,845,528 on public surveys such as opinion polling, focus groups and other forms of market research. It is not possible to break this figure down into constituent parts, except at disproportionate cost.

Schools: Admissions

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children of  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school entry age in (i) England, (ii) Enfield local education authority area and (iii) Enfield North constituency gained a place at their (A) first and (B) second choice school in each of the last 11 years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: 2008 was the first year that local authorities were required to provide data to the Secretary of State on secondary school offers made on the day that parents are notified of their school places. This year's data were published on 12 March. Data are not collected at a constituency level.
	This year, figures for Enfield local authority show that 62.1 per cent. of children resident in the authority who are eligible to transfer to secondary school in September 2009, and who applied for a place, were offered their first choice school. 15.1 per cent. were offered their second choice school. Last year these figures were 62.2 per cent. and 16 per cent. respectively.
	The figures for England show that 83.2 per cent. of children who are eligible to transfer to secondary school in September 2009, and who applied for a place, were offered their first choice school. 8.4 per cent. were offered their second choice school. The figures for 2008 were 82 per cent. and 8.7 per cent. respectively.
	The day that parents are notified of their secondary school place is the first part of the process of obtaining a preferred school. These figures are likely to change by September as places become available or appeals are successful.
	The Department does not collect data on offers of primary school places.

Social Services: Haringey

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what inspections the Commission for Social Care Inspection has undertaken in relation to Haringey Council's children's services since 2001.

Beverley Hughes: The Commission for Social Care Inspection had functions relating to children's services from its inception in April 2004 until those functions passed to Ofsted in April 2007. It participated in a joint area review of children's services by 10 relevant inspectorates in 2006. It inspected the local authority fostering agency in January 2005, November 2005 and January 2007, and reported the inspection undertaken by its predecessor, the social services inspectorate in February 2004; and it inspected the local authority adoption agency in 2005. It also undertook, with Ofsted, an annual performance assessment of Haringey's children's services in 2005. The social services inspectorate inspected Haringey children's services in 2002, and with the Commission for Health Improvement and HMI Constabulary undertook an inter-agency inspection of child protection services in 2003.

Special Educational Needs: Disadvantaged

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many special schools there were in the most deprived decile of lower layer super output areas as determined by the income deprivation affecting children indices in 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The requested information is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of special schools( 1)  in the most deprived decile of lower layer super output area by income deprivation affecting children indices( 2) 
			  IDACI decile of school location  Number of special schools 
			 0-10% most deprived 117 
			 (1) Special schools including foundation special, community special and non-maintained special. (2) Income deprivation affecting children index 2007.  Source: School Census 2008

Special Educational Needs: GCSE

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  in which special schools more than 30 per cent. of pupils achieved five A* to C grades at GCSE in 2008;
	(2)  in how many maintained special schools more than  (a) 10,  (b) 20 and  (c) 30 per cent. of pupils achieved five A* to C grades at GCSE in each year since 1997.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Every year the Department publishes information on the performance of pupils in examinations as part of the Achievement and Attainment Tables:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetables/schools_08.shtml
	From this webpage, you can select the local authority (LA) or school of interest, by using the search by institution/search by postcode/browse by region or browse by constituency options.
	For every school, the percentage of pupils achieving five or more grades A*-C at GCSE is published. This information can be found within the KS4 results tab at the top of the LA page.

Special Educational Needs: Pilot Schemes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 201-2W, on special educational needs: pilot schemes, 
	(1)  what eight projects the Lamb inquiry has commissioned;
	(2)  how much funding has been allocated to each pilot; who will assess the effectiveness of each pilot; and when they will report on the matter.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Details of the eight projects that the Lamb inquiry has commissioned can be found at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/lambinquiry/downloads/LambInquiryprojectssummary.pdf
	We have committed 1 million of funding over 2007-09, for the No to Failure pilot project. Dr. Chris Singleton is currently preparing the project's final evaluation report, which is likely to be published shortly.
	Dyslexia Action is receiving funding of 250,000 over 2008-10 to run the Partnership for Literacy pilots. The effectiveness of the pilots is being evaluated by the university of Durham's Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring. Dyslexia Action published a report of the project's first two years on 2 March. It is expected that they will then publish the final evaluation early in 2010.
	We have also allocated 31 million over two years for the Achievements for All pilot projects. We are currently tendering for an organisation to conduct an external independent evaluation.
	The British Sign Language pilot project will be receiving 800,000 for up to two years over 2009-11. The details on the evaluation process have yet to be finalised.
	The pilot project to improve the supply of curriculum materials for visually impaired and dyslexic pupils is still in contract negotiations. Bidders were required as part of their initial bid to lay out stringent plans for an evaluation process, and we will be making details available as soon as that process is complete.

Teenage Pregnancy: Rotherham

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment he has made of trends in the rate of teenage pregnancy in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The under-18 conception rate in Rotherham fell by 10.5 per cent. between 1998 (the baseline year for the Teenage Pregnancy strategy) and 2007 (the latest year for which data are available). This is in line with reductions in Yorkshire and Humber region (-10.3 per cent.) and England as a whole (-10.7 per cent.).
	The Department of Health's teenage pregnancy national support team (NST) will be visiting Rotherham in April 2009 to offer support designed to accelerate progress towards the local area's under-18 conception rate reduction target, based on lessons learnt from local areas where teenage pregnancy rates have fallen fastest. Support from the NST supplements the routine support and challenge provided by the regional government office.

Young Offenders: Crime Prevention

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the results of the 18 pathfinder projects to increase the support for the parents of children and young people at risk of offending; and how much has been spent on such pathfinders to date.

Beverley Hughes: The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not fund any pathfinder projects that solely focus on parents of children and young people at risk of offending. Since 2006, DCSF has been running the Parenting Early Intervention Programme (PEIP) which aims to increase support for the parents of children and young people at risk of negative outcomes. Findings from an independent evaluation of the 18 PEIP pilots by Warwick university (2006-08) found that the programme attracted over 3,500 parents in need of support to manage their children's behavioural difficulties. The evaluation found that the pathfinder was successful in rolling out three evidence-based parenting programmes with high levels of positive gains for parents and their children. The final PEIP evaluation report was published in July 2008 and can be found on the DCSF website at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/RRP/u014941/index.shtml
	By the end of 2008-09, up to 16 million will be spent on the PEIP. Up to a further 54 million will be spent on the programme over 2009-11 as it is extended to every local authority.

Youth Clubs

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of activities at youth centres at times of the day when young people are most likely to commit criminal offences.

Beverley Hughes: Local authorities have a duty to secure access to positive activities for their young people and to provide them with information on the availability of these activities. We are currently mapping provision in 81 local authority areas, including where it is located and when it is open. This activity aims to identify any possible shortfall in provision on Friday and Saturday nights when the incidence of youth antisocial behaviour is at its highest. This work is ongoing. The information will be used to support the Government's OPEN drive aimed at influencing local areas to increase provision of positive activities on Friday and Saturday night.
	The Government have also provided additional funding to these 81 local authorities to boost Friday and Saturday night provision and 'all' local authorities will receive a significant increase in their provision for Positive Activities for Young People in 2009-10with a strong expectation of an increased focus on Friday and Saturday provision.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Building Our Common Future Conference

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people who  (a) attended and  (b) spoke at his Department's building our common future conference on 9 to 10 March 2009 had their (i) flights and (ii) accommodation paid for in full or in part by his Department; and what the cost to his Department was in each category.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) paid in full or in part, the flights and accommodation costs for 58 conference delegates invited from overseas, of whom 14 were speakers or expert panel discussants. A breakdown of the costs is as follows:
	(i) Total cost of flights for Speakers was 14,687.83
	Total cost of other delegates' flights was 38,152.46
	(ii) Total cost for accommodation for Speakers was 2,868
	Total cost for accommodation for other delegates was 11,352.50

Building Our Common Future Conference

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost to his Department was of  (a) organising and  (b) hosting its building our common future conference on 9 to10 March 2009.

Douglas Alexander: Costs for the building our common future conference on 9-10 March 2009 are still being finalised. The forecast costs are as follows:
	 (a) Organising costs, including event preparation and management, participants registration and support, audio-visual costs, stage set and graphics, exhibition costs, conference materials, signs and display materials: 292,048 excluding VAT;
	 (b) Hosting costs, including venue hire, lunches and refreshments for over 700 participants over the two days, accommodation and travel costs for 58 participants invited from overseas, the provision of a prayer room and carbon offsetting: 166,205 excluding VAT.

Building Our Common Future Conference

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what  (a) fees and  (b) expenses his Department paid to the external speakers who chaired sessions at its building our common future conference on 9 to 10 March 2009.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) paid no fees and expenses to external speakers for chairing sessions at the 'Building our Common Future' conference on 9 and 10 March 2009.

China: Poverty

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Government assistance in reducing poverty in China.

Michael Foster: The International Development Committee (IDC) issued its report on the Department for International Development's (DFID) programme in China on 11 March (HC 180-1). A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House and is available on the DFID website:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmintdev/180/180i.pdf
	The IDC concluded that
	DFID's programmes in China have been extremely effective. The Department has succeeded in doing what very few donors have achieved in China: it has built influential relationships with policy-makers and has found an approach that really works in terms of having an impact on reducing poverty in Chinaand all with what is, relatively, a very small amount of public money. Cost-efficiency has been maximised by DFID's technique of demonstrating small-scale successes which have subsequently been scaled up by the Chinese Government to national level.

Departmental Publications

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1004W, on departmental publications, what the total monthly circulation of his Department's Developments magazine is; and how many copies are sent to Government Departments in each month.

Michael Foster: The circulation of the quarterly magazine Developments, as of 11 March 2009, is 88,873 copies, of which, nine copies are sent to other Government Departments.

Departmental Training

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has provided voice coaching to any of its employees in the last 12 months.

Ivan Lewis: No DFID employees have undertaken specific voice coaching.

Sri Lanka: Politics and Government

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment his Department has made of the humanitarian situation in the north of Sri Lanka.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has continued to make limited assessments, hindered by the Sri Lankan Government's refusal to allow free and full access to the conflict area. DFID has deployed humanitarian specialists to Colombo for some time and a first brief visit, organised by the Sri Lankan Government, took place on the 11-12 March. The DFID specialist was able to confirm that the fierce fighting between the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elaam (LTTE) and Government of Sri Lanka forces has caused the humanitarian situation to deteriorate. Approximately 230,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are trapped in a decreasing area of LTTE control in the Vanni region.
	Reports indicate high numbers of civilian casualties, including many women and children. The International Committee of the Red Cross has made efforts to evacuate more than 2,000 wounded by sea but this is currently blocked by the Sri Lankan Government. There remains an acute need for food and medical supplies and for agencies to be allowed access to the area to deliver desperately needed humanitarian assistance.
	We are also concerned about 40,000 IDPs who have escaped and are now subject to heavy control in camps in Vavunia, Mannar and Jaffna districts, where access for agencies to deliver supplies and observe screening processes is also heavily restricted.
	As well as exerting pressure on the Sri Lankan Government to improve access, we have allocated an extra 2.5 million of humanitarian assistance to agencies working in Sri Lanka, bringing the total to 5 million this year.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment his Department has made of  (a) the scale of the cholera epidemic,  (b) food security and  (c) prospects for economic stabilisation in Zimbabwe.

Ivan Lewis: The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that there are now around 90,000 cholera cases in Zimbabwe with over 4,000 deaths. The figures suggest that the number of new cases is starting to decline and better care at health institutions means that the death rate is also coming down. However, with continuing rains and the fragile state of water and health systems, WHO estimates that the total number of cases may well exceed 100,000.
	Recent nutritional assessments have highlighted the seriousness of the food situation and the clear need for ongoing aid. The proportion of children under age five who are underweight was estimated at 17 per cent., a rate that has not changed since 2003 while chronic malnutrition has slightly declined by 2 per cent. to 27 per cent. The number of acutely malnourished children is increasing but at 4.8 per cent. remains below internationally recognised emergency levels (10 per cent.) across the country. UN figures suggest that seven million people will have received food aid in Zimbabwe by February 2009. The next harvest will partly alleviate the situation but early projections suggest a similar scale of food insecurity in 2009-10, with a peak before next year's harvest.
	Economic stabilisation in Zimbabwe will be tough due to the low starting point. GDP has shrunk by 50 per cent. in a decade with all economic sectors suffering from a failure of Government policy. In addition, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has printed the Zimbabwe dollar out of existence so the economy is rapidly dollarising. The IMF and other major financial institutions are currently undertaking missions to Zimbabwe and it is hoped that this will give the international community a clearer picture of the extent of the problem and how best to rectify it.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Departmental Bank Services

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with which banks his Department has or has had contracts for the provision of financial advice, for the financial year 2008-09.

Mike O'Brien: In 2008-09, the Department has held no contracts for the provision of financial advice with a bank.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department uses WPA2 encryption protocol on all its wireless networks.

Mike O'Brien: DECC follows CESG guidance on the use of the Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) communications security protocols in order to protect wireless networks carrying protectively marked (up to RESTRICTED/IL3) traffic. The configuration and operation standards for WPA2 are set out in CESG's Infosec Manual Y, Use of WPA2 Wireless Security in Government Systems.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what auditing his Department undertakes to ensure that IT security policies are being followed; and on how many occasions  (a) IT security policies have been breached by employees and  (b) a member of staff has been sanctioned for a breach of such policies in the last 12 months.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change is currently using IT systems provided by the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, and is subject to the audit and reporting arrangements for those departments.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's IT security hierarchy.

Mike O'Brien: The Department is currently using IT systems and IT security services provided by the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs, therefore it does not have a separate IT security hierarchy.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what scanning for vulnerabilities his Department conducts of each of its IT devices; what method is used for IT device scans; and how many vulnerabilities have been detected as a result of such scans in the last 12 months.

Mike O'Brien: It is not in the interest of the security of the Department, or that of the public, to disclose detailed information pertaining to electronic breaches of security of Department's IT systems. Disclosing such information would enable criminals and those who would attempt to cause disruptive threats to the Department to deduce how to conduct attacks and therefore potentially enhance their capability to carry out such attacks.

Departmental Data Protection

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what IT security policy his Department has; what procedures are in place to ensure the policy is being followed; what his Department's policy is on encryption of data when it leaves departmental premises; and what sanctions are in place for failure to comply with this policy.

Mike O'Brien: The Department is currently using IT systems provided by the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs, and uses the IT security policies applicable to those systems. This includes the policy on encryption of data. Failure to comply with these policies is normally treated as a disciplinary matter.

Departmental Pay

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff transferred to his Department receive annual remuneration including benefits of 100,000 or more.

Mike O'Brien: There are six employees of the Department of Energy and Climate Change who are earning a salary of 100,000 or more from a total staff complement of around 900, all of whom transferred from other Departments.
	The Department would incur a disproportionate cost if it were to report how many employees are in receipt of an annual remuneration including benefits (salary, bonus payments and pension benefits) of 100,000 or more.

Departmental Recycling

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much  (a) paper,  (b) plastic and  (c) other waste has been produced by his Department since its inception; and how much of that waste was recycled.

Mike O'Brien: Since its inception, the Department has made use of BERR's and DEFRA's recycling systems. Given that, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Farming and the Environment (Jane Kennedy) on 12 March 2009,  Official Report, column 678W, and by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Employment Relations and Postal affairs (Mr. McFadden) on 12 February 2009,  Official Report, column 2292W.

Electricity Generation

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much electricity was generated from each type of renewable source in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: Data for the years 1990 to 2007 are in the following tables. Data for 2008 will be published in July 2009.
	
		
			  Renewable sources used to generate electricity (GWh) 
			 Hydro 
			   Wind and wave  Solar photo-voltaics  Small scale  Large scale( 1)  Landfill gas  Sewage sludge digestion 
			 1990 9  127 5,080 139 316 
			 1991 9  142 4,482 208 328 
			 1992 33  149 5,282 377 328 
			 1993 217  159 4,143 447 378 
			 1994 344  159 4,935 517 361 
			 1995 392  166 4,672 562 410 
			 1996 488  118 3,275 708 410 
			 1997 667  164 4,005 918 408 
			 1998 877  206 4,911 1,185 386 
			 1999 850 1 207 5,128 1,703 410 
			 2000 946 1 214 4,871 2,188 367 
			 2001 965 2 210 3,845 2,507 363 
			 2002 1,256 3 204 4,584 2,679 368 
			 2003 1,285 3 150 2,987 3,276 394 
			 2004 1,935 4 283 4,561 4,004 440 
			 2005 2,904 8 444 4,478 4,290 470 
			 2006 4,225 11 478 4,115 4,424 456 
			 2007 5,274 11 534 4,554 4,677 517 
		
	
	
		
			   Biomass  
			   Municipal solid waste combustion( 2)  Co-firing with fossil fuels  Animal biomass( 3)  Plant biomass( 4)  Total biomass  Total 
			 1990 141596 5,812 
			 1991 150  1  688 5,320 
			 1992 177  52  934 6,398 
			 1993 252  122  1,198 5,717 
			 1994 449  192  1,518 6,956 
			 1995 471  199  1,642 6,871 
			 1996 489  197  1,805 5,685 
			 1997 585  199  2,110 6,945 
			 1998 849  234  2,654 8,648 
			 1999 856  459 1 3,429 9,616 
			 2000 840  456 31 3,882 9,914 
			 2001 880  542 234 4,526 9,549 
			 2002 907 286 568 272 5,080 11,127 
			 2003 965 602 535 402 6,174 10,600 
			 2004 971 1,022 565 362 7,364 14,147 
			 2005 964 2,533 468 382 9,107 16,940 
			 2006 1,083 2,528 434 363 9,288 18,116 
			 2007 1,177 1,956 555 409 9,291 19,664 
			 (1) Excluding pumped storage stations. (2 )Biodegradable part only. (3 )Includes electricity from farm waste digestion, poultry litter combustion, and meat and bone combustion. (4 )Includes electricity from straw and energy crops.  Source:  Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2008, Internet only long term trends annex to Chapter 7.

Electricity: Planning

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to ensure that the National Policy Statement on electricity transmission networks will prevent the construction of high voltage lines in Areas of Outstanding National Beauty and National Parks; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: National Policy Statements (NPSs) for Energy Policy including that for electricity networks infrastructure will be consulted on later this year.

Energy: Consumption

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of annual average household electricity consumption comprised by the operation of  (a) a refrigerator,  (b) a freezer,  (c) a television,  (d) a computer,  (e) a central heating water pump and  (f) lighting.

Mike O'Brien: From data published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics, it is estimated that the average electricity consumption of UK households is around 4,400 kWh per year; this average includes households that use electricity for space heating.
	Analysis carried out by DEFRA's Market Transformation Programme suggests that the electricity consumption attributable to selected product groups is:
	
		
			   Total UK electricity use (GWh)  Electricity use per household (kWh)  Percentage of annual average household electricity consumption 
			 Refrigerators 2,495 94 2 
			 Upright freezers 2,726 103 2 
			 Chest freezers 1,515 57 1 
			 Fridge-freezers 8,745 331 8 
			 Televisions 14,415 546 12 
			 Computing 12,811 485 11 
			 Circulators (central heating water pump) 2,867 130 3 
			 Lighting 17,269 654 15 
		
	
	The use per household figures assume that, with the exception of lighting, each household has one of each appliance; however this will not necessarily be the case for an average household.
	The remainder of the electricity delivered to the domestic sector is largely used for cooking, space heating and hot water.

Legal Opinion

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the cost was of external legal services engaged by his Department since its establishment.

Mike O'Brien: It is not possible to answer this question without incurring disproportionate costs.

Lord Truscott

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each meeting held between representatives of his Department and Lord Truscott since the creation of his Department.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 23 February 2009
	There have been no meetings between Ministers in this Department and Lord Truscott.

Members: Correspondence

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when the Minister of State expects to reply to the letters of 19 November and 30 December 2008 from the hon. Member for Forest of Dean, on Oakenhill opencast coal site, reference FD8841.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 29 January 2009
	I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to his letters, which were answered on 9 March.

Natural Gas

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to improve the security of gas supply from non-EU sources.

Mike O'Brien: The UK sees diversity of sources of imported gas as vital for the EU's security of energy supply. Recent events have underlined the importance to the EU of being supplied with gas from a wide range of countries. The development of a southern corridor, with the aim of bringing gas to the EU from the Caspian region through Turkey or directly across the Black Sea, and in the longer term from the Middle East, is crucial to that end. The UK therefore strongly supports the efforts of the European Commission and fellow EU Member States to develop a southern corridor and this Department is actively engaged in these efforts.
	The Commission's second Strategic Energy Review (SEER2) of November 2008 affirmed the importance of a southern corridor as one of the EU's highest energy priorities and the importance, to that end, of increasing high level political engagement with potential gas supplier countries, such as Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iraq. The European Commission and current Czech presidency of the EU have made this a priority for 2009 and we are working closely with them.
	The UK also sees it as important for there to be a diverse selection of routes for gas to enter the EU and for this reason we support the building of new pipelines, under market conditions, to bring gas from established suppliers to the EU such as Norway, Russia and Algeria. In addition to pipelines, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), imported by tanker from countries such as Qatar, Trinidad and Tobago, Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria, also plays an important role in diversifying gas supply to the UK and other EU member states.
	The UK's own security of gas supply has been improved in recent years by new import infrastructure projects such as the BBL (Netherlands-UK) and Langeled (from Norway) pipelines, expansion of the (Belgium-UK) IUK pipeline and the new LNG import terminal at the Isle of Grain. Two further major LNG import terminals at Milford Haven are expected to be commissioned soon.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how long the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has been without a permanent chief executive; when he plans to appoint a permanent replacement; and what salary and compensation package he expects the new chief executive will receive.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 16 March 2009
	Dr. Ian Roxburgh left the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in August 2008 (although he remained available to provide advice until 31 December 2008). The process to appoint a new chief executive is ongoing and the NDA hopes to conclude the process in the near future. In the meantime, the NDA has continued to make good progress under the leadership of Richard Waite, Strategy Director, who has been acting CEO since August 2008. The salary package for the new chief executive was advertised at around 380,000, depending on the candidate.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the final annual salary of the outgoing chief executive of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority was; and what his  (a) final departure package and  (b) pension arrangements are.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 16 March 2009
	The outgoing chief executive Dr. Ian Roxburgh's final annual salary was 213,459.
	The Remuneration Report included in the NDA's Annual Report and Accounts (to be laid before Parliament in July 2009) will contain information related to any emoluments.
	Dr. Roxburgh was a member of the Civil Service PCSPS scheme and attained the equivalent of 40 years service on attaining his 60(th) birthday. His pension arrangements under the scheme are in line with the scheme rules. Dr. Roxburgh transferred his private sector pension entitlement into the civil service scheme.

Oil

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has a timetable for planning purposes under which the UK will reduce its dependence on oil.

Mike O'Brien: The Government are taking a number of measures to promote greater energy efficiency and diversify the energy mix across all sectors of the economy, including through increased use of low carbon and renewable energy sources, improved vehicle emission standards, and biofuels and electricity in road transport.

Performing Arts

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has engaged any  (a) actors,  (b) musicians and  (c) other performers to support its initiatives over the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: I am informed that we have no central record of such people being engaged by the Department.

Radioactivity

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the criteria used in decisions on whether an inquiry under Regulation 17 of the Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations 2004 should be held.

Mike O'Brien: The Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations 2004 provide that the Justifying Authority may cause an inquiry or other hearing to be held if it appears to him expedient to do so in connection with the exercise of any of his functions under these regulations.
	The regulations do not explicitly prescribe any criteria to be applied by the Justifying Authority when considering whether to hold an inquiry or other hearing. Rather, the Justifying Authority will need to consider what is reasonable in the circumstances of a particular case. This approach is entirely sensible given that the justification regulations apply to a very wide range of classes or types of practice and any decision whether to hold an inquiry in a particular case will necessarily depend on the particular circumstances of each individual case. This might for instance include consideration of the extent to which the public have an opportunity to engage in the process.
	The Government guidance on the regulations similarly relates to a very wide range of cases. It states that
	where the Justifying Authority considers that any application is of sufficient importance and wide public interest, they may cause a public hearing or other inquiry to be held. It is expected that inquiries under the regulations would only be held in relation to major or contentious classes or types of practice.
	While Government will obviously have regard to this guidance when considering whether to hold an inquiry, it will need to make any decision on whether to hold an inquiry on the merits of individual cases.

Renewable Energy

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to paragraph 74 of the UK Renewable Energy Strategy consultation, on what basis the estimates of increases in gas bills by 2020 necessary as incentives for renewable energy deployment were made.

Mike O'Brien: Gas price impacts presented in the RES consultation document are driven by the proposed financial incentive mechanisms on renewable heat.
	The impact of these incentives on future prices and bills are estimated by taking into account the pass through of the costs of the policy through the suppliers into gas prices and bills. Costs are calculated by taking into account the cost of the renewable heat technologies versus conventional heating technologies as well as estimates on demand and supply side barriers that need to be overcome to incentivise renewable heat uptake under different scenarios.
	The net impact on gas prices is dependent on our baseline assumptions of average domestic and industrial bills up to 2020. We are in the process of revising our analysis which will be published alongside the final Renewable Energy Strategy this year.

Renewable Energy

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to paragraph 7.5.35 of the UK Renewable Energy Strategy consultation, what steps he plans to take to counter the principal constraints to the provision of biomass infrastructure.

Mike O'Brien: The Government continue to consider the issues raised by paragraph 7.5.35 of the consultation paper and will announce their intentions in the Renewable Energy Strategy, to be published later this year.

Renewable Energy: EU Action

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his Department has had with EU partners on developing an EU supergrid to enhance the development of renewable energy in the last 12 months.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is in regular contact with the European Commission and other EU member states on all aspects of energy policy, including on development of EU energy networks.
	Part of the idea behind an EU supergrid envisages the linking of renewable generation at the periphery of Europe, such as offshore wind projects in the North sea or solar projects in the Sahara desert, with the joint objective of helping EU member states meet their climate change and energy goals while promoting economic development and efficient energy use in the relevant energy producing countries.
	DECC officials are in regular discussion with the European Commission and the EU Co-ordinator on the concept of a North sea offshore grid to link offshore wind generation in the North and Baltic seas, in order to share our experience of offshore transmission and ensure that UK objectives are met in any developments on this project. DECC officials are also engaging with the Commission and other EU member states on proposals to develop solar and wind power in desert regions in North Africa and the Middle East as a means to provide clean energy for these countries and for Europe. We are in contact with the French Government which has been seeking to give impetus to these ideas.
	The idea of a European supergrid could help member states meet climate change and energy goals. However, these types of project involve many difficult cross-border and jurisdictional issues, which would require significant effort and time to resolve, and the costs relative to other options to secure energy supplies seem likely to be high.

Renewable Energy: Expenditure

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department and its predecessors spent on  (a) wind,  (b) tidal,  (c) solar and  (d) geothermal power development in the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: DTI's renewable energy R and D expenditure on these areas before the activity transferred to the Technology Strategy Board in 2007 was.
	
		
			  000 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			  (a) Wind 1,395 1,460 1,137 845 
			  (b) Wave and tidal 5,019 1,235 1,655 2,258 
			  (c) Solar/PV 3,131 1,970 1,782 1,128 
		
	
	DIUS (and, before the creation of DIUS, DTI) provides funding for the Research Councils. The Research Councils' spend on these areas was.
	
		
			  000 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 (a) Wind 482 243 125 1,074 768 
			 (b) Wave and tidal 830 995 1,026 633 1,015 
			 (c) Solar(1) 1,453 1,690 1,764 1,473 2,046 
			 (c) Photovoltaics 2,381 2,676 2,531 2,308 6,472 
			 (d) Geothermal 73 79 106 153 348 
			 (1) Research relating to light harvesting in biological process/organisms. 
		
	
	 (a) Wind
	DTI/BERR/DECC's spend on the Offshore Wind Capital Grants programme was.
	
		
			  Financial year  Spend ( million) 
			 2004-05 15.00 
			 2005-06 23.11 
			 2006-07 25.89 
			 2007-08 12.75 
			 2008-09 07.62 
		
	
	DTI/BERR's spend on the Wind Aviation Interests was.
	
		
			  Financial year  Spend (000) 
			 2005 352 
			 2006 178 
			 2007 66 
		
	
	 (b) Tidal
	DTI/BERR/DECC's spend on Wave and Tidal through the Marine Renewables Deployment Fund (capital) was.
	
		
			  Financial year  Spend ( million) 
			 2006-07 0.9 
			 2007-08 0.7 
			 2008-09 0.7 
		
	
	In 2008 BERR also spent 25,000 on Wave and Tidal research.
	 (c) Solar
	Between 2001 and 2006 DTI spent 10 million on large scale and domestic Photovoltaic Field Trials. The amount of money spent is not available on a per year basis.
	DTI/BERR's spend on the Major PV Demonstration programme with a budget of 31 million paid 26 million to projects.
	
		
			  Financial year   million 
			 2002-03 4.3 
			 2003-04 6.7 
			 2004-05 5.7 
			 2005-06 7.0 
			 2006-07 2.4 
		
	
	DTI/BERR's spend on solar thermal under the Clear Skies scheme was.
	
		
			  Year paid  000 
			 2003 11 
			 2004 164 
			 2005 991 
			 2006 511 
			 2007 389 
		
	
	DTI/BERR/DECC's spend on solar under the Low Carbon Buildings programme Phase 1 scheme to end-February 2009 was.
	
		
			  000 
			   Solar hot water  Photovoltaics 
			 2006-07 560 1,916 
			 2007-08 686 2,379 
			 2008-09(1) 1,083 1,813 
			 Total 2,329 6,108 
			 (1) To end February. 
		
	
	DTI/BERR/DECC's spend on solar under the Low Carbon Buildings programme Phase 2 scheme to end-February 2009 was.
	
		
			  000 
			   Solar thermal  PV 
			 2007 14 419 
			 2008 299 4,926 
			 2009 36 650 
		
	
	 (d) Geothermal
	DTI/BERR spend on ground source heat pumps under the Clear Skies scheme was.
	
		
			  Year paid  000 
			 2003 0 
			 2004 24 
			 2005 323 
			 2006 384 
			 2007 68 
		
	
	The answer excludes details of expenditure that could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.

Renewable Energy: Job Creation

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many UK manufacturing jobs were created in the renewable energy industry in each year for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the number of such jobs to be created in the next 12 months.

Mike O'Brien: DECC does not collate employment information for this sector on a year by year basis.
	However, a report by Douglas-Westwood Ltd., commissioned by BERR and published alongside the renewable energy strategy consultation document in June 2008, estimated that renewable energy supported between 16,000 and 26,000 jobs in the UK at that time.
	The report can be downloaded at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file46792.pdf

Sellafield

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he has taken in response to the warning issued by the European Commission to the British Nuclear Group Sellafield under Article 83 of the Euratom Treaty in respect of accounting and reporting procedures in place at the Thorp plant; and if he will place in the Library a copy of  (a) the Commission's warning and  (b) the UK's response.

Mike O'Brien: A summary of the Commission Decision of 15 February 2006 was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 19 September 2006, and can be found at:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:255:0005:0006:EN:PDF
	The Decision was addressed to British Nuclear Group Sellafield Ltd. (now Sellafield Ltd.), who lodged an appeal at the Court of First Instance on 25 April 2006, published in the Official Journal on 1 July 2007 at:
	http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2006:154:0019:0020:EN:PDF
	Copies of the Decision and the appeal have been placed in the Libraries of the House. We have been working closely to support positive and constructive engagement between Sellafield Ltd. and the European Commission safeguards inspectorate to resolve the safeguards issues raised in the Decision, but the exchanges involved are in respect of the legal proceedings arising from Sellafield Ltd.'s appeal of the Decision and remain confidential to the parties involved.